2019 FAUGÈRES, Angaco, Mas Lou. Languedoc

Faugères is an area north of Béziers in the heart of the Languedoc in Southern France, producing big, powerful wines from the classic Rhône grapes of Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault. This is not in the ‘normal’ style!

Very old Carignan vines (no-one seems to know the exact age) with 40% Lledoner Pelut (a rare variation of Grenache), matured gently in old oak.

From the website of their agent, GB Wine Shippers:
“I worked several harvests with Olivier and Adèle before they set out on their own in Faugères. In all my time there, I can honestly say Olivier was the hardest working winemaker I had the privilege of working with. As well as Coume del Mas and Mas Cristine, they worked harvests in Spain, Chile, and Bordeaux before starting Mas Lou in 2014. Olivier’s first love is the vines, and would far prefer to be among them than the winery. Their 8ha sits between 200 and 400m above sea level, giving a cooling freshness to the wines that others in the region struggle to achieve. We are lucky to get any of these – the quantities are tiny, and the French wine press have started to take notice of just how delicious the wines are.”
All the names are connected with the time they spent in South America. Jalka are the Bolivian women who weave the local materials, which are illustrated on their labels.

“This carignan-based, Languedoc gem is another joyfully exuberant red – what the French call a vin de soif (a thirst-quenching wine). Perfect for charcuterie.” Fiona Beckett @winematcher