Bbs Book (pt 14) Negly

CH. DE LA NEGLY

JEFFREY M. DAVIES SIGNATURE SELECTIONS

2516 Waukegan Road • Suite 323 • Glenview, IL 60025 • Phone: 512.919.9463 • Fax: 512.727.2453

Château de la Négly Coteaux du Languedoc

The vineyards here are planted in a mountain-framed valley that leads right down to the Mediterranean. The view of the “Lion’s Gulf ” from the terrace of the imposing château is stunningly beautiful. The vineyards include Syrah, Mourvèdre, old vine Carignan, Grenache Noir and even some 40-year old Tempranillo! Like so many properties in the Languedoc, for years the wines were sold off in bulk to the local co-op and the négociant trade. The prices the wines fetched were so ridiculously low that the owners were hardly encouraged to do anything but produce as much fruit and wine as their vineyards would possibly allow. That is until the estate was purchased by Jean Rosset. Since Mon. Rosset has taken control of La Négly, things have been rapidly changing and this is estate is fast becoming a true superstar of French wine. Jean’s efforts are being closely guided by one of the most interesting and competent young enologists I have met in the Languedoc (where, it is true, they are not rife!). The late thirtyish, bespectacled and soft-spoken, Claude Gros is both a very competent, analytical taster and a very talented lab technician of the highest order. His vineyard knowledge and his work with the analysis of polyphenols to determine physiological ripeness and appropriate harvest dates are unparalleled in the Languedoc. His pioneering work with advanced fining techniques is also exciting to follow, especially in side-by-side tastings. With Claude as his hands-on consultant, Jean Rosset’s wines at La Négly have continued to progress in spectacular fashion. We are especially proud of the fact that in the Sixth Edition of The Wine Buyer’s Guide, Robert Parker rates Château de la Négly among the five top estates in the Languedoc-Roussillon, giving it his ***** (Outstanding) rating.

2516 Waukegan Road • Suite 323 • Glenview, IL 60025 • Phone: 512.919.9463 • Fax: 512.727.2453

Château de la Négly La Brise Marine Coteaux du Languedoc

La Brise Marine (literally, “sea breeze”) is Négly’s only white wine. This refined, dry white wine is a blend of 60% Bourboulenc, 30% Grenache Blanc, and 10% Marsanne, produced from very modest yields of handharvested and hand-sorted fruit. Only the ripest, healthiest grapes are pressed in a state-of-the-art pneumatic press. The must is then cold-settled. After three weeks of fermentation and maceration, the new wine is aged on its lees for six to eight months. It is bottled in the spring following the vintage with minimal fining and only “cosmetic” filtration. Complex aromas of white flowers, dried peaches and apricots intermingle with hints of banana, vanilla, pineapple, and fresh almonds. Medium-full bodied with refreshing underlying acidity, it will develop nicely in the bottle for at least two to three years after the vintage. Just 750 cases are produced annually.

2516 Waukegan Road • Suite 323 • Glenview, IL 60025 • Phone: 512.919.9463 • Fax: 512.727.2453

Château de la Négly Les Embruns Coteaux du Languedoc

Les Embruns (literally, “sea spray”) is one of Négly’s two rosé wines produced using the saignée technique whereby a small amount of juice is run off after a very brief period of skin contact (variable as a function of the vintage). This truly exceptional rosé is a blend of 50% Syrah and 50% Grenache Noir, produced from ludicrously low yields – 25 hls/ha (1.8 tons/acre) – of hand-harvested fruit. The tanks are bled, per the saignée technique, after four to eight hours of skin contact. Fermentation plus maceration runs three weeks after which the new wine is aged on its lees for extra richness until bottling in the spring following the vintage. The savory, food-worthy result is this pale, salmon-colored, rosé whose aromas are infinitely more complex than those normally associated with rosé wines. There are subtle notes of peaches, strawberries and almonds on the nose while the palate is at once full-bodied yet buoyant and racy. Less than 700 cases of this exceptional rosé are produced each year.

2516 Waukegan Road • Suite 323 • Glenview, IL 60025 • Phone: 512.919.9463 • Fax: 512.727.2453

Château de la Négly La Côte Coteaux du Languedoc

La Côte literally means “the coast” or even “the slope”. Both are justified in this case because the vineyards are situated on gently sloping hillsides that lead right down to the coast and to the so-called “Lion’s Gulf ” that is actually a local portion of the Mediterranean. This is a provocative blend of 50% old vine Carignan and 50% Grenache Noir produced from very modest yields of hand-harvested and hand-sorted fruit. After fermentation, the Grenache is aged in small, French oak tanks while the Carignan is aged in a combination of small oak tanks and one and two-wine old barrels. It benefits further from the injection of microscopic amounts of pure oxygen, a technique called microbullage. This allows for the controlled oxidation of the tannins, thereby fixing the color and softening the tannic impression. It is very lightly fined and bottled unfiltered under the expert guidance of hands-on enologist Claude Gros. This full-throttle wine surprises by its saturated, purple-black color, the intensity and purity of its violet, red and black berry fruit aromas, coupled with a velvety texture and polished tannins. Delicious upon release, it drinks well over the next two to five years.

2516 Waukegan Road • Suite 323 • Glenview, IL 60025 • Phone: 512.919.9463 • Fax: 512.727.2453

Château de la Négly La Falaise Coteaux du Languedoc

Moving up the slope, one arrives at the famous cliff that gives its name to the area, the Massif de la Clape. This majestic cliff (falaise in French) cradles the Négly vineyards, and inspires the name of this blend. This is a concentrated, flavor-packed blend of 60% Syrah, 30% Grenache Noir, and 10% Mourvèdre, produced from very low yields (30 hls/ha) of hand-harvested and hand-sorted fruit. The Syrah is fermented in the same small oak tanks that have previously been used for one vintage each of La Porte du Ciel and Clos des Truffiers. The other varietals are fermented in cement tanks. The wine does its malo and is subsequently aged in 50% new and 50% one-wine old, thin-staved, French (75%) and Russian (25%) oak barrels. The Mourvèdre, on the other hand, is aged in 400-liter French oak barrels called demi-muids. Aged for 11 to 14 months, it is bottled. Deep ruby-purple in color, this powerful, yet elegant, wine reveals well-defined, forceful raspberry and blackcurrant aromas. On the palate, its pure blackberry flavors mingle with subtle scents of vanillin and clove while its velvety texture is framed with ample, but polished, tannins. Eminently approachable upon release, especially when decanted, it provides real enjoyment over the next five to seven years.

2516 Waukegan Road • Suite 323 • Glenview, IL 60025 • Phone: 512.919.9463 • Fax: 512.727.2453

Château de la Négly La Porte du Ciel Coteaux du Languedoc

Finally, there is the luxury cuvée, La Porte du Ciel. This is La Négly’s supernal cuvée whence the name, i.e. “Heaven’s Door” (Dylan, Clapton and even Guns & Roses fans will remember). Painstakingly crafted from 100% Syrah, the super ripe fruit of vines planted in the early 1990’s. Yields run an incredibly low 14 hls/ha (3/4 tons/acre). The fruit is entirely hand-harvested into small plastic crates. These are stored in a refrigerated truck until they are sorted. At the winery, three successive crews sort the grapes from each crate before and after the destemming, to eliminate any under ripe or less-than-healthy berries. These are then gently crushed immediately above a single, 50-hectoliter, open-top, French oak fermenter from SeguinMoreau. It is used to ferment just one vintage of its “sister” wine, Clos des Truffiers, before being used to produce a single vintage of La Porte du Ciel. After an eight-day cold soak, fermentation ensues. Extended maceration in most vintages runs a full 60 days! The still warm wine is run off into 100% new, thin-staved, medium-toast, French oak barrels. After maturing for 18 months, it is bottled unfined and. This succulent wine reveals a purple-black color, intense, complex aromas of blackberries and cassis with hints of black pepper. Subtle notes of vanillin and mocha underscore the fruit while the opulent texture is framed by ample, melt-in-your-mouth, tannins. This is clearly the most hedonistic wine produced at La Négly. It drinks extremely well over the decade following the vintage and quite probably, well beyond! Since the first vintage was only the 1997, we really just don’t know – yet. About 2,700 to 4,000 bottles, not cases, and about 150 magnums are produced annually!

2516 Waukegan Road • Suite 323 • Glenview, IL 60025 • Phone: 512.919.9463 • Fax: 512.727.2453