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Antech
Antech might sound like the name of a high-tech conglomerate, but this is in fact one of the largest family-owned domaines in Limoux. The family have a long history of producing the still wine of the Limoux appellation, starting with the Tisseyre-Limouzy families, the name Antech arriving when Edmond Antech married into the family in 1931. In the past few decades, however, Antech has largely switched to sparkling wine, the still wine now taking very much a back seat. Sixth generation Françoise Antech is currently in charge of operations, having taken over from father and uncle Georges and Roger who succeeded Edmond. This is essentially a négociant operation, as she sources grapes from the firm's 35 producers under long-term contract as well as the family's own vineyards which amount to about 60 hectares.

The grapes are handled and vinified in a way very similar to Champagne, and all three of the sparkling appellations are accounted for in the range. First up is Blanquette de Limoux, an appellation for sparkling wine defined in 1938, using the variety Mauzac with up to 10% combined total of Chardonnay and/or Chenin. Aged on the lees for nine months. The term blanquette describes a downy white covering on the underside of the leaves of the Mauzac variety; thus the grape is known locally as Blanquette, and hence the name of this appellation. The Cuvée Exception, with barrel-fermented Chardonnay leads the way, followed by the Réserve Brut, and Cuvée Tradition, both Brut and Demi-Sec. Next comes the Antech interpretations of Crémant de Limoux, a more recent appellation, having been created in 1990. The raison d'être of Crémant was to facilitate higher proportions of Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc in the blend; there is a minimum of 30% included, with a maximum of 20% of either, and the wines must be aged on the lees for twelve months. Here Antech produce the Cuvée Eugénie, which honours the great aunt of Georges and Roger, the Grande Cuvée, Cuvée Saint Laurent - honouring the patron saint of cooks - and the Cuvée Emotion.
The third and final sparkling wine appellation is Limoux Méthode Ancestrale, which dates from the same era as Blanquette de Limoux. This allows for wines made by the traditional method of refermentation in Spring following the cold of Winter. Only a tiny quantity of wines are made this way, but Antech offer the Méthode Ancestrale Doux et Fruité. All in all there are some good wines produced here; although I haven't found the latter of the above wines to my taste others are very appealing, and certainly offer excellent value for money. (16/8/04, updated 23/7/08)
Contact details:
Address: 11300 Limoux
Telephone: +33 (0) 4 68 31 15 88
Fax: +33 (0) 4 68 31 71 61
Internet:
www.antech-limoux.fr
Antech - Tasting Notes
Antech Crémant de Limoux Cuvée Eugénie 2007:
This cuvée is named for Eugénie Limouzy, the great-aunt of Georges and Roger
Antech. The Crémant appellation focuses on Chardonnay, so this is 70% with 20%
Chenin Blanc and 10% Mauzac. The appearance is a gentle, pale gold, and the nose
is very floral and fresh, with little traces of elegant honey and nut beneath.
On the palate, a very clean style, firm but with a little restrained creaminess;
it is very much within the young Chardonnay,
blanc de blancs style. Lovely acidity, fresh mousse, a fine aperitif and
a very serious contender in the world of sparkling wine. 17+/20 (July 2009)
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Antech Crémant de Limoux Cuvée Saint Laurent 2005: This is 50%
Chardonnay, 40% Chenin and 10% Mauzac. A pale hue, and plenty of moderate-sized
bubbles. On the nose there are fresh aromas, herbs and stone, with a crystalline tinge to the fruit.
Vibrant, fresh, vigorous on the palate, with a good stony edge to the bright,
lemony fruit, with just the faintest tinge of sherbet. Clean, incisive and
bright, this makes a very decent aperitif. Good. 15.5/20 (May 2009)
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Antech Crémant de Limoux Cuvée Saint Laurent 2004: A pale straw-gold hue.
Nice plentiful bead, small to moderate size. A good nose, clean and firmly exuberant,
with yeast and apples and bread, and perhaps slightly toasty. Well filled out on the
palate, but very firm and structured too. There is an incisive bite of freshly
cut grapefruit through the midpalate, plenty of firm mousse and naturally firm acidity, with straw and apple touches to the flavour. A blend of
50% Chardonnay, 40% Chenin and 10% Mauzac, it shows much of the bite and youthful structure of the
latter two varieties, and is enjoyable for it. Good wine and good value. 16/20 (July 2008)
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Antech Blanquette de Limoux Cuvée Exception
2000: The Blanquette appellation is older than that for Crémant, and as
such it focuses on the more traditional Limoux grape, Mauzac. This variety
accounts for 90% of the blend, the remainder all Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc.
This has a much richer gold than the 2007 Eugénie, tasted alongside. The nose is
full of character, with light and fleeting elements of cinder toffee and caramel
alongside some pure, concentrated citrus fruit, more lime than any other.
Nevertheless very fresh, quite rich, stylish on the palate, with a good acid
backbone and gentle mousse. Very good indeed, and testament that Mauzac can make
interesting wine in the right hands. 17/20 (July 2009)
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Antech Crémant de Limoux Cuvée Saint Laurent 2000: A
lovely golden colour with a plentiful mousse. A developed, toffee and coffee influenced
nose with some lemony white fruit. A creamy mousse, and plenty of flavour on the
palate. Good structure, correct acidity, nicely balanced. Just a hint of cream
to the texture, offset by a slightly bitter quinine note among the complexity of
flavour. Finishes well but quite short. 16/20 (June 2004) Label
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Tasting notes are ordered by date of tasting, most recent first. I have tried to indicate whether it is a tasting of a new release, or of a wine I have cellared.
Antech Limoux Blanquette Méthode Ancestrale Doux NV: Current release. A cuvée ancestrale,
doux et fruité claims the label; the softness of residual sugar
with low alcohol, just 6% it seems. A richer hue than the 2004 St Laurent,
tasted alongside, although still a straw-tinged colour. Very fine, rather sparse
bead. Smoke, minerals, almonds and praline, lots of tropical fruit. Soft,
fleshy, warm, ripe, very good acidity, residual sugar making a rather obvious
contribution to the texture. It has a lot of sweet and sherbetty fruit
character, cut through by lemon-lime acidity, although this fades towards the
end of the palate and here the texture and very soft and creamy mousse dominates
without a frame to provide any definition. It is admirable on some levels, but I
feel it has too much emphasis on soft texture than any real substance. Very
simple wine in a style that will not have universal appeal. 15/20 (July 2008)
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