Domaine de Causse Marines
If you look at wine lists from any of the top wine bars from The Ten Bells in New York to Coinstot Vino the trendy cave à manger in the lovely Passage des Panoramas in Paris you will find the wines of Virginie Maignien and Patrice Lescarret of Domaine de Causse Marines.
Their vineyards fall within two appellations - Gaillac and Marcillac both of which lie a short drive north of the south-west city of Toulouse.
They make their wines naturally and have a wide range of unusual grape varieties to call on including Ondenc, Loin-de-l’oeil, Braucol, Duras and Mauzac.
We will have the following wines available when the next shipment arrives in late August:
Domaine de Causse Marines Gaillac Les Greilles 2008 - this is a white wine blended from local grapes Mauzac and Loin-de-l’oeil with a little Muscadelle. This is a perfect aperitif wine.
Domaine de Causse Marines Gaillac Peyrouzelles 2008 - this is a red wine blended from Braucol, Duras and Syrah. It is an easy-drinking style that is perfect now but which will keep for another year or two as the tannins soften.
Domaine de Causse Marines Vin de Table Sept Souris 7002 - This Vin de Table wine is made from 100% Syrah. Despite being a Vin de Table it is a wine of some elegance.
Domaine de Causse Marines Vin de Table Dencon 8002 - this wine is made from a very, very rare grape variety called Ondenc which had almost disappeared from France until it was revived by a small number of growers in Gaillac.
Domaine de Causse Marines Vin de Table Rasdu 6002 - This Vin de Table wine is made from 100% Duras, the favoured red grape of the area.
Domaine de Causse Marines Marcillac Generique Rouge 2009 - This wine is from their newly-acquired vineyards on vertiginous slopes in the Marcillac appellation to the north of Gaillac.
Domaine de Causse Marines Gaillac Blanc Doux Grain de Folie Douce 2008 - This wine is one of the stars of the line up. It is a sweet wine made from very ripe Muscadelle, Ondenc, Loin de l’oeil, Mauzac and Sémillon grapes.
Domaine de Causse Marines Vin de Table Effervescent 9002 Préambule - This sparkling wine is naturally fermented in the bottle. It is made entirely from very low-yielding Mauzac vines.