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Chateau St-Jean D'Aumières

Chateau St-Jean D'Aumières is situated just 15 miles west of Montpellier, in the town of Gignac. It is home to Manuela and Paul Tori, who purchased the estate in 2001. Their aim was to establish a vineyard of high quality, and the local terroir, combined with a collection of plots featuring old vine Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, was enough to clinch the deal.

D'Aumieres Paul Tori is Peruvian by birth, although he left this country by the time he was 18 years old. Tori started with a very academic slant, gaining a degree in Economics from Georgetown University, followed by a Masters degree in International Politics and an MBA in Finance from Columbia University. With these qualifications under his belt he worked, initially, for Citibank in Brussels, and subsequently his career took him around Spain, Thailand, Switzerland and England. Tori's heritage, however, was European, his ancestors being French and Italians that had emigrated to South America. In 2000 the search for an affordable estate began in earnest. With vineyard prices rocketing, Paul Tori settled on Chateau St-Jean D'Aumières.

The vineyards at D'Aumières are composed of limestone and clay with round pebbles. There are 23 ha of vines, which average 35 years of age, and are planted at a density of 5000 plants per hectare. There is a strict vineyard management program, with leaf-thinning and green harvesting both important processes, with a manual harvest coming in at a yield of 30 - 35 hl/ha. The vines include Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault, which form the backbone of the domaine's Coteaux du Languedoc rosé and red blends. There are also Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, which are usually blended with Carignan for the Les Loupiots red. There is also a Les Loupiots blanc, made from the estate's Viognier. The flagship wine is 'A', a blend of Grenache and Syrah, which sees 14 months in French oak. Wines go through two rackings, and are bottled after fining but without filtration.

Tasting these wines, one is struck by the sheer quality of what is one offer. The white is a full-bodied wine, typical of the south, with plenty of body and grip. It is very good, but the red are the wines that are really worth seeking out. They show more than their fair share of finesse, married with plenty of flavour, fresh acidity and succulent, seductive tannins. This small selection of wines are, in my opinion, well worth seeking out. (20/5/05)

Contact details:
Address: 34150 Gignac
Telephone: +33 (0) 4 67 57 23 49
Fax: +33 (0) 4 67 57 46 30
Internet: www.aumieres.com

Chateau St-Jean D'Aumières - Tasting Notes

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2003

Domaine D'Aumières Les Loupiots (VdP d'Oc) 2003: A lemon-gold hue. Plenty of stone fruit character on the nose, with a full, plump, rounded character. Good impact on entry; full, structured, with evident grip and body, no doubt reflecting the 14% ABV. Stony, stone fruit flavour, with great persistence through to the endpalate. Firm, yet well delineated finish. A great food wine, with the mettle to cope with many foods. Drink now and over the next few years. 16.5/20 (May 2005)

2002

Chateau St-Jean D'Aumières (Coteaux du Languedoc) 2002: Syrah, Grenache & Cinsaut. A lovely, deep, glossy wine still showing the hue of youth. Soft, mineral infused, blackberry and liquorice aromas on the nose, with a ripe, ember, forest fire, burnt tree sap complexity. This is lovely. And the palate is a delight; rounded and with a wealth of ripe, succulent tannins to provide some grip, giving a real backbone to the endpalate. Low acidity, creamy feel, and delicious liquorice blackberries here too. And this is just the basic cuvée! Super, seductive wine which should please anyone with decent palate. Should drink well for the next 6-8 years. 17+/20 (May 2005)

Chateau St-Jean D'Aumières (Coteaux du Languedoc) 2002: Syrah & Grenache. Deep, purple-red hue. A very forthcoming nose, with plenty of blackberry and other dark fruits, this time overlaid with a sheen of high quality oak. Gorgeously plump and seductive palate, creamy and very accessible. There lies beneath a layer of ripe, supple but slightly grippy tannins, combined with fairly low acidity. This is lovely and approachable wine, although in a very modern, oak-influenced style, but maintaining its sense of place and character. Should drink well for the next 6-8 years. 17+/20 (May 2005)