Gérard Bertrand Terroir Minervois 2003

Tasting Notes:The 2003 Gérard Bertrand Terroir Minervoisis a provocative, deeply colored wine that beautifully conveys all the charm and wealth of flavor for which Minervois is justly renowned. Rich, smooth and enticing, this fabulous Minervois tantalizes the senses with the aromas of black fruits and garrigue – all of which evoke the potpourri of Provence. Softer and richer than most Languedoc offerings, Bertrand's Terroir Minervois is an artful blend of Syrah and old vine Carignan and a match for many a top notch Rhône red from Vacqueyras or even Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Highly extracted, but long on the palate, soft, and utterly mouth-filling, the 2003 Bertrand Terroir Minervois is everything one can hope for from the most ancient of France's wine appellations, which was so aptly named for the wise and artistic Greek goddess Minerva.; This effort from Gérard Bertrand bears further testimony to the oenological Renaissance sweeping Languedoc and Minervois in particular. We suggest allowing this tasty red at least 15-20 minutes of aeration, before serving it between 60°-68° F. Salut!

The 2003 Gérard Bertrand Terroir Minervois could easily shine by itself with just a few eager tasters as companions. However, consuming this soft, succulent Minervois without the benefit of food truly provides only half the pleasure. Bertrand's Terroir Minervois truly showcases grilled meats, including beef, lamb, and pork. This wine will also do equal justice to traditional Mediterranean favorites, including most cheese and tomato laden southern Italian favorites like Lasagna and Manicotti. Most hearty pasta dishes that are made with fresh tomatoes, herbs, and wild mushrooms are good bets, too. Smoked meats like salami, pepperoni and soppressata offer other good pairings, especially in the company of aged, hard cheeses. Enjoy!

Gérard Bertrand is, perhaps, the most respected name in the Languedoc – the oldest and largest wine region in France. The Bertrand name is associated with many of the very best domains and vineyards in all of southern France, and like his father before him, Gérard has not only inherited the Bertrand legacy from his forbearers, he has augmented and cultivated the family heritage by acquiring an ever increasing array of outstanding properties – each of which produces wine of superlative quality and eminent distinction. Unlike most of the Languedoc's growers, Georges Bertrand was a visionary. He was also a winemaker and a great wine taster, and he knew the value of premium varietals and excellent terroir Georges reconstructed his family's estate, Domaine de Villemajou, in the heart of Corbières and began acquiring other prime parcels and ancient estates. In the early 1970's, Georges also advised and supported other forward thinking Languedoc growers and winemakers who aspired to greatness. His son Gérard has continued and fortified that crusade, fashioning very fine wine, indeed, at every level. Bertrand's Terroir offerings in particular constitute extremely high quality and value. Since his father's premature death in 1987, Gérard has brought Cigalus, the Languedoc's finest proprietary red and white wines, into the Bertrand fold. He has also acquired the Château de l'Hospitalet, an ancient hospice renowned for its wine, whose origins go back to 1561. In addition, Château Laville-Bertrou, a superlative Minervois estate, and a host of other fine properties from various Languedoc appellations and areas have come under the direction of the Gérard Bertrand. And one should not overlook the extraordinary Corbières that flows from the family's home estate, Domaine de Villemajou. All of Bertrand's estate wines are produced in respect to the environment, using sustainable methods and hand harvesting. Languedoc Languedoc is the world's largest single viticultural area, encompassing many appellations and distinctive sub regions – all of which are capable of producing fine wine. This sprawling viticultural wonderland stretches all the way from the Spanish border in the west, within sight of the towering Pyrenees, to the banks of the Rhône River far to the northeast. Languedoc cuts a huge swath of dry coastal plain and sheltered mountains from which flow the guts and the glory of French viticulture. The Languedoc, whose name is synonymous with the language of southern France, was the first part of ancient Gaul to be extensively planted to the vine. And long before the Romans and Caesar's legions had subdued the Gallic tribes to the north, wine was big business in Languedoc. The Phoenicians passed this way, and not surprisingly, the region's beauty and superb conditions for the cultivation of the vine did not escape the first Greek colonists who planted vines there, making Languedoc the cradle of French viticulture in the fifth century BC. For nearly two thousand years, Languedoc remained the "big dog" and premier purveyor of wine to France and the world. Sadly, the glory of France's most historic wine region – the birthplace of troubadours and Provencal, the lyrical language of poetry – ended in the 19th century with the advent of phylloxera. Phylloxera, the most dreaded of all vine diseases because it attacks the roots and systematically sucks the life out of a vine, devastated the vineyards of France in the 19th century, targeting Languedoc as its prime host. Following the phylloxera outbreak, the Languedoc lost most of its premier hillside vineyards, old vines and premium varietals. Subsequent replanting was undertaken using inferior grape varietals that would quickly bring high yields and much needed cash. Moreover, the great hillside vineyards descended to the plains, where soil, drainage and exposure (terroir) were inferior to the older, loftier heights of legend and lore. Unfortunately, throughout the late 19th century and most of the 20th century as well, the Languedoc languished in the doldrums of viticulural obscurity, unless of course one considers every day plonk as a beverage of choice. Once the proud bastion of French vitucultral excellence, the Languedoc became the world's major source of huge quantities of insipid wines, whose main virtues were none other than high alcohol and cheap prices – all of which were subsidized by the French government./p> Today, the Languedoc is returning to its former glory. The worldwide demand for cheap, course wine no longer exists; the emphasis today is on quality rather than quantity. In addition, the only official incentive for grape growers is to plant premium varietals, move back to the ancient hillside sites, and produce less wine of greater quality. Since the 1970's that is exactly what has been happening, leading viticulturalists and critics alike to proclaim a veritable Renaissance in the Languedoc, much of it spearheaded by Gérard Bertrand and his father Georges before him.