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Domaine L’Oustal Blanc Naïck 7 — Aromatherapy in a Glass of Languedoc-Roussillon

Price: $20 per bottle or Special 6-Pack Discount $115 SOLD OUT

Just the other day Yorick was extolling the virtues of the season. Gazing out upon the leaf-strewn sidewalk, he declared, “Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.”

Good old Yorick, he fancies himself a poet and is no stranger to hyperbole. All the same, he knows a good wine value when he sees it. Inspired by the crisp autumn air, he dug through the stacks and emerged with his latest recommendation – Domaine L’Oustal Blanc Naïck 7.

Yorick has been grooving on bottles of Languedoc-Roussillon with a little age, so it was no surprise when he pulled out this bottle that is presently drinking at peak. Don’t let the name fool you. Though Domaine L’Oustal Blanc does produce white wine, the Naïck 7 bottling is unmistakably red.

naick7Naïck 7 is labeled as a non-vintage table wine because of its non-conforming blend. (We wine folks know that the 7 stands for 2007 though, nudge nudge, wink wink, say no more.)

The base is 60% (tank raised) Cinsault from the Saint-Chinian appellation where winemakers Claude and Isabel Fonquerle own a sliver of acreage. The remainder of juice is a split of (old barrel raised) Carignan, Syrah, and Grenache from their parcels in the renowned Minervois cru of la Livinière.

The result is aromatherapy in the glass. The nose is filled with big, brushy herbs characteristic of the region that are dusted in cocoa and then stirred into macerated tree fruit. It’s soft but not flabby with a streak of gentle acidity and a mild, minty finish. The alcohol level is relatively high but the 15 degrees shows mainly by turning the camphor aromas slightly more pungent. An excellent food wine, it pairs superbly with a simple dinner of crispy-skin roast chicken and sautéed yellow squash but would certainly hold its own with bean stews, roasted vegetables, and even moderately seasoned dark meats.

 

Yorick1About Yorick

Our good friend Yorick is a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy, wont to set the table on a roar. He is well versed in fine literature and wine. We’ve asked Yorick to join the team at Elie Wine Company and periodically browse our inventory for some hidden gems — sometimes obscure, always a good value — and share them with you. Alas, poor Yorick! He cannot hold his wine, or much of anything for that matter. But he does have exquisite taste.

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Posted on 2013.10.01 in France, Languedoc-Roussillon

 

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