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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

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Antech Crémant de Limoux Cuvée Eugénie 2007: The cuvée in question is named after Eugénie Limouzy, a matriarch in the Antech history, and (if I have the Antech family tree correct) a great-great aunt to the current head of operations, Françoise Antech. In this vintage it is 70% Chardonnay with 20% Chenin Blanc and 10% Mauzac. In the glass it has a pale green-gold hue, with plenty of bubbles. The nose is fresh and open, floral, with the aromas of white peach, mint with just a suggestion of nut crackle underneath. The palate is fresh, with a fine creaminess to it, cut through by a lively acidity. Flavours of mint tea, stone fruit with a citrus vivacity, falling away very slowly in the finish, lingering on the palate for some considerable time. A very fine effort which makes lovely sunny-weather drinking now, or which will keep in the cellar for a good while I think. For label images and more see my Wine of the Week write-up. 17/20 (May 2010)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)