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Château la Liquière

Château la Liquière is one of the longest established and most significant estates in the region. It was all started two generations ago by the Vidal family, and remains in family ownership to this day. In the vineyard is Bernard Vidal, the son of the original proprietors, whereas in the winery is fully qualified oenologist Sophie Vidal, his daughter. The estate is now planted up with sixty hectares of vineyards, mostly a red, stony schist rich in iron, or grey schist, perfect terroir for both red and white varieties. There is manual harvesting and even a sorting table in use here.

Although at the time of writing there is no appellation for white Faugères, many producers are pushing towards such an appellation, and Château la Liquière is no exception. Here they produced a white wine, made from barrel aged Grenache Blanc and Roussanne, and labelled as Cuvée Schistes. It is currently sold as AC Coteaux du Languedoc. There are a number of red cuvées, starting with Cuvée les Amandiers, a blend of Grenache, Carignan, Syrah and Mourvèdre, the first two varieties vinified using carbonic maceration. The Cuvée Vieilles Vignes contains more Grenache and Carignan than the other two varieties. Finally, there top cuvée is the Cuvée Cistus, predominantly Syrah with the other three varieties playing a supporting role. This wine sees a year in oak before bottling. The Vidal family have also tried their hand at sweet wines, producing Bouquet d'Automne, a mix of Grenache Blanc and Muscat. (26/4/04)

Contact details:
Address: 34480 Cabrerolles
Telephone: +33 (0) 4 67 90 29 20
Fax: +33 (0) 4 67 90 29 20
Internet: www.chateaulaliquiere.com

Château la Liquière - Tasting Notes

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Château la Liquière Faugères Vielles Vignes 2002: A moderate depth of colour here, but still obviously youthful. The nose has sweet and herby black cherry fruit which suggests a large proportion of Grenache in the final blend. Full, rounded, texture on the palate, but with a firm acidity too. An appealing chalkiness to the tannins which are still a touch prominent. Plenty of flavour and character too. This is drinkable now, but will benefit from perhaps a year in the cellar to allow those tannins to integrate. From a Pic Wine tasting. 15.5+/20 (April 2004)

Château la Liquière Coteaux du Languedoc Cuvée Schistes 2002: This white Coteaux du Languedoc from top Faugères producer la Liquière is a good argument for the creation of an appellation for white Faugères. It has a moderate depth of colour, with a lemon-yellow hue. A barrel-ferment nose, with notes of rich, nutty oak, golden syrup and buttery carrot cake, alongside fresh, white fruit. The palate has both richness and freshness combined, with an opulent, oily texture and oak derived flavours sitting comfortably with a fresh, lemony acidity. There are some firm tannins, probably oak-derived, and a big, grippy finish. Not a style that will appeal to everyone, but certainly very skilfully made wine. 16.5/20 (April 2004)

Château la Liquière Faugères Cuvée Cistus 2000: Cuvee Cistus is the Vidal family's top cuvee. It has a dark, glossy, red-purple hue, and is still showing plenty of youth. The nose is very showy, although a little international in style, with a wealth of tarry, roasted black fruits and appropriate use of oak. The palate is rich, concentrated, but nicely balanced. There is a backbone of ripe, succulent tannins which offer some grip, but this is swamped by a full, mouthfilling, creamy texture and stacks of dark fruits. Overall it has a very opulent character, helped by slightly low acidity. A final tannic flourish on the finish. Delicious kit indeed. 16.5/20 (May 2004)