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Castelmaure

Castelmaure is a co-operative at Embres et Castelmaure, a small village in the Aude. There are just ninety members, extolling 300 hectares of vines, although in fact just twelve of these members account for over 90% of the co-operative's output. This close involvement of a small, leading group of vignerons has no doubt facilitated recent improvements at Castelmaure. Nevertheless, the co-operative still utilises over 760 separate parcels of vines.

Like many co-operatives in the Languedoc, Castelmaure once focused on quantity more than quality. In recent years, however, that has changed. The president Patrick de Marien has overseen great improvements, helped by consultation from Michel Tardieu of Tardieu Laurent. There are now a number of interesting cuvées produced here. One of the greatest is Cuvée No 3, a blend of low-yielding Syrah, Grenache and Carignan grown on a mixture of schist and limestone sites. The Grande Cuvée is another Syrah and Grenache blend, with a little Carignan. The Cuvée Pompadour is a blend of Carignan and Syrah, both fermented by carbonic maceration, with 30% Grenache, which sees six months in used oak. (13/9/04)

Contact details:
Address: 11360 Embres et Castelmaure
Telephone: +33 (0) 4 68 45 91 83
Fax: +33 (0) 4 68 45 83 56

Castelmaure - Tasting Notes

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Castelmaure Corbières Grande Cuvée 2001: A good deep colour. Lots of sweet, spicy toffee and vanilla oak on the nose, with chocolatey, brambly fruit beneath. A real brawny feel to the palate. Sweet, slightly meaty fruit, but too much toffee oak evident here too. Ripe, supple tannins which rather take a back seat to the fruit and oak. Quite flashy and seductive, but with some peppery acidity, but nevertheless it seems a bit top heavy and lacks perfect balance. Youthful. Needs decanter time or, five years in the cellar which might help with integration of the oak, but there are no guarantees with this one. 15+/20 (September 2004) Label

Castelmaure Corbières Cuvée No. 3 1998: Moderately deep hue, showing a little maturity on inspection. An incredible nose; stony, minerally, charcoal, sooty, meaty, organic aromas, with just a hint of tar and flower petal. Clean, stone and soot-influenced palate. Medium bodied. Initially a lean texture and firm acidity, but it fattens up with some aeration and soon displays superb concentration married with a well defined texture. Stuffed with smoke, mineral and stone interest. Black olives and just a little red fruit to be found, backed up by some strong, grippy tannins. Delightful and complex. Drink over the next five to eight years. 18+/20 (September 2004) Label