Ch. d’Anglès
La Clape, Languedoc

Since the Fabre family took over Chateau d’Angles in 2002, they have shown the true potential of this vineyard in the La Clape region of the Languedoc. With a lifetime in winemaking, Eric Fabre’s career included eight years as Technical Director of Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, as well as taking a lesser known Medoc estate to the highest accolades in only six years.

It had always been Eric’s dream to own a vineyard on the Mediterranean and in 2001, with his wife Christine, he discovered Chateau d’Angles, dominated by the rocky outcrop of La Clape and with vineyards running down to the Mediterranean shore. The setting was idyllic, but Eric also recognised the potential of the soil, the climate and the local grape varieties, notably Mourvedre and Bourboulenc.

Once established in the ancient ‘mas’ farmhouse, Eric set about introducing sustainable vineyard practices and re-planting a significant proportion of the 36ha of vineyards to Mourvedre. In common with the premium wines of Bordeaux but unusually for the Languedoc, the harvested grape bunches are all de-stemmed and after a temperature controlled fermentation the wine is simply and naturally clarified by gravity with no fining or filtration. This slow and expensive process ensures the depth and richness of the fermented wine is retained through to the bottle. This attention to detail and Eric’s passion is clear in the steady increase in wine quality and the numerous accolades he has received.

Eric is a warm, approachable man who has that rare and elusive ability to craft really great wines. Yet rather than highlight his own skills, he uses his talents to promote the appellation of La Clape as a whole. Therefore, we are delighted to work alongside the Fabre family to introduce their wines and also the unique and distinctive wine region of La Clape. The latest vintage releases featured in this offer are undoubtedly the best yet and should be considered not as premium quality Languedoc, but as the product of a particularly special terroir. The wines are not cheap by Languedoc standards, but it is worth paying a little extra for the magic that Eric Fabre brings to the wines from this part of southern France.

Chateau d’Angles produces five different dry wines and a rather unusual dessert wine. From these you can make your own 12-bottle selection and enjoy free delivery. Or if you find yourself spoilt for choice, we have two six-bottle Sampler Cases with an even better saving.

White Wines

FR3408W  Ch. d’Angles Classique Blanc 2008, La Clape  13.5%                          £9.99
This pure, zesty un-oaked white is a blend of 50% Bourboulenc and 40% Grenache with the balance Roussanne and Marsanne for additional complexity. La Clape is the only appellation based on the distinctive and high quality Bourboulenc grape. A very late ripening variety, it brings freshness, structure and longevity to the blend.

Pale yellow colour with elegant aromas of spring flowers, quince, grapefruit and hints of fresh spices and fennel. Lovely weight and elegance on the palate with fresh stone fruit flavours with a slightly honeyed richness balance by good minerality. Amazingly long finish with excellent complexity. The fresh, fruity flavours can be enjoyed now. Over time the wine will become richer and more rounded. Drink to 2016

PRESS PRAISE
‘Wonderfully zesty but full, mature wine. Marine, complete, super rich.’ Jancis Robinson
‘The whites are among the best around. Fresh nose, perfect match with grilled fish.’ Bettane & Dessauve

FR2536W  Ch. d’Angles Grand Vin Blanc 2006, La Clape  14.5%                        £14.99
The words Grand Vin tend to be over-used but the title is surely merited for this outstanding wine, reminiscent of a fine white Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Eric presents his aims as follows: ‘I wanted this wine to express the richness of our 45 year-old Grenache structured by our 60 year-old Bourboulenc. I also selected an exuberant Marsanne and a Roussanne with great aromatic finesse to create this perfumed, long and complex white wine. This is a cuvée I’m very proud of.’

 A rich, complex white from 40% Bourboulenc and 20% each of Roussanne and Marsanne, a proportion that has steadily increased as Eric’s knowledge of his terroir has improved. Grenache Blanc makes up the balance. Each variety is fermented separately and the final blend aged 6 months in a mixture of one and two year old barrels. This imparts a touch of oak character before bottling with no fining or filtration.

Pale yellow colour with peach and dried apricot aromas and notes of honey and nut. Rounded, elegant and gently creamy palate with fruits, marzipan and an aromatic and astonishingly long finish. Still fresh and youthful, this impressive white is still gaining complexity and could keep 15 or even 20 years.

PRESS PRAISE
‘Ambitious, rich apricot, deep, creamy mouthfeel with textured finish.’ Decanter Magazine
 ‘Full of charm, ripe yellow fruits, nuts, fine and persistent mouth, beautiful finish.’ Dussert-Gerber

Rosé Wine

FR3419P   Ch. d'Angles Classique Rose 2009, Languedoc La Clape  14.5%         £9.99
You often find premium estates bleeding some of the juice from their best red grapes shortly after crushing and using this to produce a pale rosé wine. Whilst the technique concentrates the red wine, the rosé is simply a necessary by-product. So when presented with rosé that comprises 80% of the uncompromising and heavyweight Mourvedre grape, you would be forgiven for jumping to the same conclusion. However, this is no ordinary estate and Eric selects and presses the Mourvedre specifically for his rosé. The result is a remarkable wine that is the favourite of the Fabre family and is in marked contrast to the many of the uninspiring and yet more expensive rosés wines sold as Tavel or Lirac.

An intense, structured yet refreshing blend of 80% Mourvedre with 10% each of Syrah and Grenache. Pink flamingo colour and aromas of strawberry, redcurrant and spring flowers. Full and aromatic on the palate, but not heavy despite the significant alcohol. Flavours of peach, apricot, gooseberries and hints of summer fruit are balanced by an attractive mineral freshness that lingers nicely on the dry, savoury finish. Unfiltered but lightly fined to stabilise the colour, enjoy this rosé over the next 3 or 4 years.

PRESS PRAISE
‘Fresh and balanced wine with flavours of gooseberry, citrus fruit and seductive palate.’ Dussert-Gerber.
‘Sunny wine, this rosé calls you with its intense fruit and springtime aromas.’ Terre de Vins

Red Wines

Whilst Bourboulenc is the key to the success of the white wines, for the reds it is Mourvedre. This sun-loving variety is well-suited to France’s dry Mediterranean climate but to get the best results you need to avoid excesses of temperature and sunshine, which can scorch the grapes. At Ch. d’Angles, the sea’s close proximity to the vineyards brings early morning dews and cooling sea breezes in the afternoon. This moderates the excesses of the climate and leads to a long, steady growing season, perfect for premium quality grapes. So though the thick-skinned Mourvedre does not reach full phenolic ripeness until well into October, the fruit remains fresh and vibrant with no over-ripe prune character.

FR3427R   Ch. d'Angles Classique Rouge 2007, Languedoc La Clape  14%          £9.99
This blend of 40% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 20% Mourvedre has been left un-oaked to let the pure Mediterranean flavours show through. A long 30 day maceration period, where the juice is left in contact with the grape skins, has given the wine plenty of power and flavour yet there is a lovely freshness and vitality about the wine coupled with the characteristic elegance of Eric’s wines.
Spicy, peppery aromas of black cherry and plum fruits. Very smooth and savoury on the palate with extremely fine, ripe tannins. The long, lightly spicy finish has a touch of clove and garrigue and there is an overall freshness that lifts the flavours. Enjoy over the next three years for its vibrancy or cellar to 2018.

PRESS PRAISE
‘Good, fresh and smooth wine, very nice finish with menthol and liquorice.’ La Revue du Vin de France
‘Notes of red fruits… a dash of spices… smooth and rich structure…’ Dussert-Gerber

FR2547R   Ch. d'Angles Grand Vin Rouge 2007, Languedoc La Clape  14.5% £14.99
At this point I realise I have run out of superlatives for Eric’s wines. So instead, here is a comparison: you will not find a bottle of Ch. Lafite-Rothschild for less than £300 but you can enjoy Ch. d’Angles for less than £15. The Grand Vin is of course not the same as Lafite, especially since it is a blend of mainly Syrah and Mourvedre. However it shares many of its fine wine qualities: power, balance, elegance, gorgeous aromas, finesse and longevity. It may not have the pedigree of the First Growth Pauillac, but neither does it have the price tag.

Opaque purple colour with deep intense black fruit aromas ,vanilla spice and lovely perfume reminiscent of violets. Impressive power with luscious fruit flavours, notably plum, cassis and blackberry, mineral notes and a hints of wild herbs from the surrounding garrigue. The finish is long and firm with a good aromatic dimension. With tremendous structure and some significant tannins hiding behind the ripe fruit, this is a wine capable of long term cellaring. Power, elegance and longevity, this is a remarkable wine, delicious now but could be enjoyed for another 15-20 years.

PRESS PRAISE
‘Elegant and fresh. Silky, integrated tannins… wild herb notes. Long, mouth-watering finish.’ Decanter
‘Full-throated, gently-oaked blend with a strong marine accent from La Clape.’ Jancis Robinson

Dessert Wine

Here is something very different: A red wine blended with Canadian Maple Syrup! It has been produced in collaboration with Eric’s cousin, food designer and chocolatier Olivier Orain and released under the latter’s Oorain Victoria label. Olivier describes himself as a ‘Disciple of Maple Sugar’ and with Eric tried blending Maple Syrup with a range of varietal wines. Grenache did not work but Syrah was ideal and the perfect blend turned out to be Syrah with a little, less than 5%, of Grenache and around 10% Maple Syrup.

FR3326R   Oorain Victoria Luxe d'Exception 2006  13%                                     £19.95
Though quite unique, this richly fruity wine is best thought of as a Port-style wine, though the lower alcohol means it should be enjoyed only over a couple of days.
Dates, prunes and sweet caramel on the nose and rich fig and apricot jam flavours on the palate. Full, richly fruity and medium sweet. Somewhat surprisingly, the Maple syrup character is quite subtle, just coming through on the finish. This is a great wine to serve with chocolate desserts at the end of a meal. Alternatively it could be chilled and enjoyed as an aperitif. It is not cheap, but the quality is excellent and the wine is a real conversation starter. Perfect now or keep to 2012.

CASE SELECTIONS

You can select your own 12 bottle case from any of the wines featured in this offer and enjoy free delivery. Alternatively we have two six-bottle case offers which have free delivery and a wine discount.

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