The Review - FOOD & DRINK- The Wine Press with DON & JOHN Published: 22 November 2007
Vintage tradition with an alchemist’s magic
Continuing our exploration of the Languedoc, we take a closer look at one of the vineyards in the Minervois region where modernity blends smoothly with the past
THERE is only one plot among his 82 hectares at La Tour Boisée (the tower in the wood) in the Minervois region of Languedoc that Jean-Louis Poudou doesn’t own. It used to be managed by a local co-op, but was of little real interest to them. He now manages it for the family that owns it. The plot has 23 grape varieties, one unclassified and one still officially approved, no longer planted but soon to be reintroduced. The land’s previous owners used this mixture of grape varieties as a safety-net: whatever the weather, an appropriate variety was always available. Jean-Louis uses the plot to “travel in the past”. It gives him an opportunity to preserve and learn from different blending techniques. It is unique because the grapes have to be picked in one go as there is no ideal time to pick all 23 varieties and it’s the last plot to be harvested. All the grapes go into one vat with no separation of the processed fruit.
This is a form of alchemy that is dependent on how the different varieties combine and complement each other. The range of grapes and the mathematical permutations open up endless scope for experiment. What Jean-Louis learns in this process makes him more confident in blending other wines.
His choice is to interfere as little as possible with all his wines. Six of his seven vats have no temperature control, which is achieved instead by circulating the wine through a network of pipes.
Six areas of scattered plots produce nine wines. Each area enjoys its own micro-climate, allowing flexibility and more room for experiment than more technologically advanced systems.
This system, organised around dispersed plots, uses equipment many would regard as obsolescent and relies on self-taught blending skills. However, it offers a range of choices beyond the reach of most modern operations. Even those with vast resources to pour into expensive equipment need skills independent of their technology to produce comparable wine.
This is tradition but with a momentum or “kick”, capable of challenging the most “modern” viticulture you can find. Tradition, in this context, is as far from the notion of a dead past as it’s possible to get. This is a process that combines tradition and modernity. It’s difficult to imagine a better way for France to beat the challenge of global competition on its own terms.
Jean-Louis’ achievement (which he would be the first to say is not unique) is important because it shows that what many claim has been defeated is alive and flourishing. It also demonstrates that we do not need to reject all claims to modernity: this is a tradition that does not ask us to return to some nostalgic version of the past – something which is crucial to our understanding of Languedoc.
Thanks to Florence Hallett at La Tour Boisée. www.domainelatourboisee.com
The four key Château La Tour Boisée labels, in increasing order of complexity, are:
Carignan (2006) Vins de Pays Côteaux de Peyriac. 13.5 per cent, £4.95 The least complex of Jean-Louis’ red wines, now in its second vintage, described as “an innkeeper’s wine with strong aromas”. The quintessential French peasant wine.
Minervois AOC à Marie-Claude Red (2003). 13.8 per cent, £5.50. Grenache, carignan and syrah in equal proportions, matured in oak for a year to add complexity and character. Note the dedication to Jean-Louis’ wife.
Minervois AOC Jardin Secret Red (2001). 13.8 per cent, £7.50. The same grapes as the 2003 blended with mouvédre after 12 months in oak and aged further in barrels, to compete with other regions.
Minervois AOC Jardin Secret White (2002). 13.8 per cent, £9.25. The wine that put La Tour Boisée into one of Paris’ great restaurants, bringing it into the public eye. An intriguing and complex blend of three grapes, quite different from the fresh, fruit-led white wines associated with the South of France. A sophisticated wine with depth and a lively sharpness rounded off with the sour taste of good marmalade.
The list should also include Plantation 1905, £6.50, from the plot of land containing 23 varieties of grape, whose characteristics and taste change each year.
* These Château Tour Boisée wines are available from Waterloo Wines, 61 Lant Street, SE1, close to Borough Tube station. Tel: 020 7403 7967
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