Rosé 2003 "Midi" Syrah Armissan, (Languedoc)
FR
This absolutely lovely Summer wine from the south of France blew our minds. The good
news is, as of this writing there's some left on the market to acquire.
"What I learned is that there is a lot of good quality wine
coming out of the Languedoc region and none of it was reaching the U.S."
—
Sarah Close.
Indeed, whether red, white or the famous roses, Languedoc's fruit of the vine
will some day become popularized. That'll be the day, sadly, that prices soar so
the earlier one studies and shops for a couple of cases to lay down, the better
you'll do in the long run.
The incredible couple, Susan and Peter Close, Brits by birth;
transplanted to New Orleans, Louisiana and now basking in the singular, well
soleil of France. Along with some of the most forgotten, yet fabulous
wines coming out of the Languedoc region; (blush and white wines their
specialty) also comes some of France's most delightful fruits de mer. The
combination of seafood and serious, dry Languedocois beverage is one of the
finest in the world (and one of many epicure/traveler's best kept secrets).
The Wine
Years ago, Mr. and Mrs. Close's start-up was most certainly enduring a loss (the
Capital expenditure on the land alone was $US2.2 Million). However, the
winemakers had every reason to believe that their investment would yield a
profit..
And profit they did. Their first bottling, the '93 Syrah (along with a few
much smaller quantities of wines available exclusively at the winery) is superb
and sold briskly.
The warm, soft-spoken couple have the passion necessary to turn out
great wine. That's more than I can say for certain U.S. vintners who merely like
to see their name on the bottle.
The '03 vintage rose made entirely from Syrah grapes was
dry yet layered with complex fruit flavors. Mind you, we tried the wine in
Summer, 2008 three years from its release to the U.S. market.
This is a superb fish wine; goes well with shellfish in particular, and was
delightful with escargot on another trying. A caution to lovers of
astringently dry wines; some palates may mistake the rich fruit flavors of this
wine for sweetness, particularly if eaten with any kind of
vinaigrette-containing dish.
SOURCES:
Snooth.com (oenophile's website):
http://www.snooth.com/wine/susan-peter-close-and-syrah-vin-de-pays-doc-midi-2003/
The writer's personal experience with the wine.