Plan de l'homme, Sapiens 2012, Terrasses du Larzac

18.00€. Bought at the celler after discussion with Rémi Duchemin - the proprietor.

Not quite his flagship (I think there was another Syrah at 20 odd € that involved carbonic maceration?) but the most pricey of the three I bought from him.

Thankfully the second bottle was much better than the first (drank 3/12 ago).

Rich, sliky bramble fruit. Some black olive. Herby, dry.

Good, but the his 'Hablis' was better, despite being €4 cheaper.

Rémi was very good humoured about my error strewn attempts to find his place (eventually coming out onto the road to flag me down) as we're my family.

Les Caves Moliere, Lord Clive 2013

Another bargain from the Pezenas cooperative. I think I paid about €6 per bottle, bringing back as much as I could.

The significance of Lord Clive is explained here:

http://tastelanguedoc.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/two-very-french-experiences.html?m=1

Amusing to think that what's essentially a curried pasty has attained the status of regional delicacy.

Anyway, to the wine. 100% chardonnay, some time spent in oak, which you really can taste. It has an intense vanilla nose. Plenty of body but still dry on the finish. The fruit is perhaps dominated by the oak? I suspect white burgundy aficionados would find it vulgar but I love it. Immensely satisfying.

Some similarities with Iona (http://www.sawinesonline.co.uk/iona-chardonnay.html) at a fraction of the cost.