Domaine du Pas de L’Escalette, Coteaux du Languedoc (France) 2008

Jan 20, 2010

By Paul Lukacs

Made primarily with old-vine Grenache and Carignan grown in rocky, limestone-etched hills north of Montpelier, this offering from a relatively new domaine (founded by a husband and wife team in 2002) is a truly exciting discovery. It’s marked by deep primary fruit flavors that in turn are enhanced by a myriad of secondary ones—spice and leather, stony minerals, and more.  Wonderfully long, it can compete successfully with top southern Rhône wines with a similar flavor profile that cost two or three times as much.  Incidentally, this is the domaine’s "second" red wine, the "petite" (named for the couple’s two young sons).  I can’t wait to try the "grand!"  

Country / Region

France

Appellation

Coteaux du Languedoc

Grape Variety

Color

Red

Vintage

2008

Score

93

Price

US $ 18.00

Producer

Domaine du Pas de L’Escalette