Domaine De Villemajou Corbieres 2000

Richly robed, aromatic, flavorful, and plush the 2000 Domaine De Villemajou Corbières underscores the latent greatness of the Languedoc and leaves little doubt in the mind of any serious wine lover as to why the Romans were so familiar with this viticultural site. The 2000 Domaine De Villemajou is simply hedonistic and downright huggable. Whether it is the wine's amplifying nose, redolent with the aroma of plums, roses, violets and black fruits or simply the smooth sophisticated taste and texture it possesses on the palate, the 2000 Domaine De Villemajou is one wine not to be missed. It is full-flavored and sophisticated, as well as elegant and structured. In other words, this wine has body and balance and every thing in between. Without a tannic bite or even the trace of an edge, the 2000 Domaine De Villemajou requires little to no breathing time to be charming, but aeration will maximize the wine's roundness, so as you like it. For the record, the longer you allow this outstanding Corbières to breathe, the smoother and more reminiscent of velvet it becomes. Enjoy it at cool room temperature (about 66°-68° F).

Given the roundness and easy amplitude of the 2000 Domaine De Villemajou Corbières, it ranks high on our list of great dinner party wines. It is the type of wine you can plan your main course around or better yet you can open up a second or third bottle of it in the middle of a meal, without wondering if it has had sufficient aeration to be charming, and it will shine. In essence, this is the quintessential dinner party wine. All you need to decide is what you want to serve. Whether it is lamb, beef, poultry, French Haute Cuisine, savory Italian specialties or good old American classics such as Texas barbecue or its Carolina sidekick - pork barbecue - the Domaine De Villemajou is a pleasure to bring to the table. Salut!

Domaine De Villemajou lies in the heart of the ancient Corbières, one of the two oldest and most important appellations of Languedoc - France's largest wine producing region. It is to Corbières that archeologists and historians trace some of the earliest evidence of the vine in France. The Phoenicians and ancient Greeks were drawn to the beauty of Corbières, which has long been renowned for its captivating scenery, and began colonizing this dramatic sweep of Mediterranean coastline by the fifth century BC. Greek colonists planted the first vines in Corbières, making this enchanted land the cradle of French viticulture for over 2,500 years. Georges Bertrand, who was best known as one of the Languedoc's earliest 20th century visionaries, began the family domain of Villemajou. He sought to return the once glorious Languedoc to its former status as France's premier wine region, which it enjoyed before Phylloxera, and was well on his way to accomplishing his goal when he died prematurely in 1987. Fortunately for the Languedoc, Domaine De Villemajou, and the serious wine consumer, Georges left the wine world a legacy in his very talented son, Gérard. Today, Gérard is known as one of France's most influential winemakers. He still resides at Domaine De Villemajou, transforming the traditional red Languedoc varietals: Carignan, Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre into powerful but lush wines that speak of old vines, low yields and a deft hand. In addition to the highly acclaimed Domaine De Villemajou, Gérard Bertrand produces other award winning wines from single vineyard sites in nearby Minervois. All of Bertrand's wines are produced using sustainable agricultural methods and are hand harvested.