RAISE A GLASS
THAT feeling when jeans are halfway through the wash cycle you think ‘No – the pockets!’ It wasn’t money I was worried about, or a cherished photograph, but herbs from the Languedoc in the south of France. They’d been tugged off bushes on the edges of a vineyard by one of today’s most successful winemakers.
The herbs represented so much. The enthusiasm of the man – Jean-Claude Mas – for his surroundings; his love for the land and the impact of the land on his wines. Jean-Claude was taking me on a tour of his vineyards in a rip-roaring buggy ride, pointing out viognier, chardonnay, grenache gris and many many more grape varieties. When he handed me the herbs; I scrunched them and could smell the amazing “garrigue” of the landscape – wild plants from the hills in this part of the Mediterranean.
Red wines can be described as having a “garrigue” influence – and right there I understood. It’s a pot-pourri of aromas, of earth, of greenery, of vegetation. I tucked the herbs in my pocket to await their fate.
Jean-Claude Mas more than understands the wine alchemy he can create from his land. He has the Midas touch for producing great-value wines under his brand Domaines
Paul Mas. He began with 35 hectares of inherited land from his father (Paul Mas) in 2000 and only 18 years later he has 13 estates – the 13th acquisition confirmed as I sat in his tasting room sipping wines available in the UK (Aldi, Waitrose, Morrisons, Co-op and Majestic are just several stockists). He knows what his customers want. He says: “The past has no interest to me; I’m always looking to the future. Yes of course, we can learn from the past to be sure, but to be static is crazy. We are always forward-thinking.”
As we tasted and chatted I asked him to select two wines he’d personally want to sip at home; these are the two.
The white is The
Elegant Frog (£7.50, Sainsbury) which is 100% viognier and is waxy and creamy with apricot and orange peel notes. The red is Côté Mas Rouge (£7.99 or £6.99 in a buy-six deal at Majestic) – just think intense, fruity, blackberry jam!
A couple of days ago I was in the Co-op and spotted the distinctive label of Silene Limoux Chardonnay (£9.99) which is lush with buttery notes, butterscotch and pineapple and is super-fresh and fruity. I’d tasted it with JeanClaude and wanted to tell shoppers how delicious it is, but no-one looked my way. But at least you know.
Space does not allow me to share ALL the wines I loved, so I’ll dot
them around soonish; but here are a couple more. Paul Mas Vinus Clairette (£8, Morrisons) JeanClaude is keen to resurrect the clairette grape first planted in the region by the Romans. It is intense with citrus notes and a fleck of apple. I’ve got to add a fizz Paul Mas Prima Perla Grand Reserve Chardonnay (£10.99, in a buy-six at Majestic) which displays stone fruits, vanilla and toasty notes and is a moreish delight. PS A tangle of herbs emerged from the washing. They’re my scrunched-up (and very clean) memory of the Languedoc.
■ Jane is a member of the Circle of Wine Writers. Find her on social media and online as One Foot in the Grapes.