Cadman's wine blog

We have been very fortunate to have secured six bottles of the Mas de Gaumas Gassac 1989 – an extremely rare gem of a wine that is at its majestic best now but has the body and staying power to remain at its peak for another 8-10 years at least.

Mas de Daumas Gassac is often described as the first growth of the Languedoc, one of greatest wine estates of France, but it wasn’t so 40 years ago.

The Guibert family moved to the Languedoc in the 1970s and started planted vines soon after with cuttings from famous Bordeaux properties. This decision was made after a visit from a Professor Enjalbert who, after only a day walking round the domaine, told the family: “It’s quite possible to make a Grand Cru here.” And the Guibert’s haven’t looked back since…

As early as 1982, the influential wine magazine, Gault Millau, described the estate as the Languedoc’s Chateau Lafite and the famous oenologist Emile Peynaud when asked why he was working with a lowly unknown estate said: “I have advised the greatest producers in France but have never been lucky enough to be present at the birth of a grand cru.”

Domaine Baron’s 2010 Loire Sauvignon heralds a very welcome return to form for one of our best value white wines.

Baron’s 2010 is a classic Loire Valley style – combining mouthwatering fruit with a fine mineral backbone.

Owner Jean-Pierre Baron has put a lot of faith in his son Samuel, who has revolutionised the estate’s philosophy. Jean-Pierre had been one of the first vignerons to plant Sauvignon in the Loire’s Touraine region way back in
1946, but up until the 2002 vintage the family had always sold its grapes to the local co-operative.

However, Samuel has made the bold move of making his own wine, and has rapidly established a reputation for quality in the Touraine.

Lovely aromatics with blackcurrant leaf, grapefruit and lime notes to the for, plus smoky, mineral hints. The palate is packed with juicy, refreshing, crunchy citrus fruits – great balance and so very enticing. Great as an aperitif or with fish and white meat dishes.

Tinto Figuero is a very welcome addition to our portfolio and a top class example of modern Ribera del Duero winemaking.

Vine growing couple Jose Maria Garcia and Milagros Figuero have dedicated their lives to their family vineyards, and in 2001 produced a great entry level wine for the first time.

The 4 Roble As the name suggests, is a beautifully pure expression of the Ribera spent four months in barrel and is ripe, sweet and structured.

Their top wine, the Figuero 12, is made from old vines (80% 20-40 years old, and 20% over 50 years old), and is aged for 12 months – giving greater depth of flavour and structure than the entry level 4 Roble.

By using minimal handling techniques Figuero brings out the purest expression of their grapes, creating beautifully balanced and complex wines that have shot them to stardom in less than a decade.

We cannot recommend these wines enough – exceptional value from the Ribera!