£17.19, House of Townend
I’ve had a soft spot for Minervois since my student days, when it was still a few years off achieving AOC (appellation contrôlée) status and its main attraction was that it was cheap, red and a lot more enjoyable in its simple, rustic way than scrawny bottom-end red Bordeaux. I'm talking about a time before the juicy, approachable fruit of Australian and other New World wines reached UK shores.
Much as I appreciated it then, I’m happy that Minervois has moved on and up the quality ladder. The Minervois Tradition 2022 from ex-rugby player Pierre Cros – clearly something of an individualist, although I haven’t met him – is brilliant. By which I mean delicious: unashamedly easy to drink and satisfying, yet full of character, true to its terroir and of indisputable quality.
It’s full-bodied and generously fruity with a seductive, cushiony texture that fills the mouth with briary, raspberry, white pepper and balsam notes and a subtle blood-orange and mineral tang that lengthens and refreshes the finish. It's perfect now but you could cellar it for three or four years.
The blend is Carignan, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Cinsault from Pierre Cros’ domaine in the village of Badens, about 12km east-northeast of Carcassonne, where his father and grandfather were the bakers, although they also had some vineyards.
Half of his 50 ha are planted with vines and the rest are given over to almond and olive trees, truffle oaks, garrigue and associated animal life (insects, wild boar, ducks and other migratory birds). If it’s beginning to sound like paradise, there is a gîte…
The 2022 Pierre Cros Minervois Tradition is a versatile wine with food. Consider it for casseroles, cassoulets and tagines (meat, vegetarian or monkfish), roasts or barbecues, including lamb cutlets with chimichurri or chermoula, duck, beef or pork belly, and dishes such as ratatouille, aubergine parmigiana and stuffed peppers. 13.5%. Empty bottle weight 582g.
Pierre Cros Minervois Tradition 2022, Minervois, Languedoc, France
£17.19, House of Townend; £18, Harris & Co
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