2011 Maxime Magnon Le Bégou

2011 Maxime Magnon Le Begou

It’s the moment that any self-respecting hack (or tragic opinionated blog nong) hopes for…..that scoop, that eureka moment when you jump out of the bath tub with scalds on your nether regions and that “one big idea” shines brightly amongst the scudding clouds that wizz through your noggin. It’s that moment when things around you seem to move in slow motion, a large ray of light encapsulates you and you hear a big booming voice say……. “Dude……you need to drink more Grenache Gris”.

So I pose that question to you all…..”Dudes…..why don’t you drink more Grenache Gris?” …… I mean for starters it’s just drop dead delicious, it’s jammed packed with character which is more than can be said for some of the neutral, vapid excuses for white wines that are touted to be the next big thing. Granted, it’s not exactly a variety that you’ll see floor stacked at your local boozatorium, but it is a variety that is well worth seeking out for its pure fruit characters, lovely flow across the palate and versatility on the dinner table matching all manner of things that we shovel into our mouths.

Much like Pinot Noir, Grenache is a David Bowie type of grape….. it has a proclivity to mutate over time and it was thought to originate from Spain(unlike David Bowie). Pinkish-grey in colour it is planted to a limited extent through the South of France, a little in Sardinia and a smattering through Spain. This particular baby is a blend of Grenache Gris and Grenache Blanc. Interesting that one character I always seem to find in Grenache rouge….. gingerbread….. makes an appearance in the white mutation of the variety.

This wine hails from Corbières……it’s big is Corbières, at around 13,500 hectares and it supplies 46% of the total production of the Languedoc-Roussillon. Thevast majority of the regions production is red wine (80%). Due to its size and the diversity o soil types and climatic influences across its length, Corbières is split into 11 “Terroirs”

1. Montagne d’Alaric      
2. Saint Victor
3. Fontfroide
4. Queribus
5. Boutenac
6. Termenès
7. Lézignan
8. Lagrasse
9. Sigean
10. Durban
11. Serviès

Maxime Magnon rents around 11ha of vines around Villeneuve des Corbières in the Terroir de Durban sub-region and has spent some time learning his craft with Jean Foillard in Beaujolais.

Light pale gold in the glass with aromas of waxy lemon, juicy pear and green apple. Hints of verbena, gingerbread, soft spice, nougat and a curious, cool resinous note slides apparition-like, into olfactory view as the grey-matter crunches the characters manifesting themselves in the glass.

The overriding character that immediately becomes apparent on the palate is a healthy serving of ” #%#$ this is delicious!”…….again citrus, lemon, apple and pear & stone fruit characters demand the drinkers attention, underscored with hints of soft spice, white flowers, ginger cake and almond paste. Further in the background there is a captivating light waft of calvados and  a shimmering, diaphanous peaty bass-note plunking away back-of-stage like a goatee-wearing double bassman with a gitane hanging out his gob.

Textured too with a pleasing weight in the mouth…..and sapid with its snappy acid line driving the beat along. Pure, delicious drinking and most of all, eminently gluggable juice……get it in your belly.

Price: $45 – Closure: Cork – Alcohol: 13.6% – Source: Cellar – Importer: Andrew Guard Wine Imports

This one is rated one crazy red-head in a velvet coat breast feeding a lion cub …….. which I’m sure you’ll agree is pretty impressive

Crazy redhead!