ABOUT: Christine Dupuis took the reigns of Domaine Labranche-Laffont from her late father in the early 1990’s and has been producing outstanding wines and making a name for herself ever since. She began with 6 hectares of vines in the commune of Maumusson-Laguian and is currently managing 20 hectares, with some 150+ year old pre-phylloxera vines to brag about. The vines are Ecocert certified organic and populated by Tannat, Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng and Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon. The vineyards have some pretty ideal conditions, clay and limestone soils with south and southeast facing hillsides sloping down to the domaine. Her wines made from Tannat are to be reckoned with; aromatic and complex, easily rivaling the finest Malbec from her neighbors in Cahors. A very fresh expression of an underrated grape and region. More to come.
TASTE: On first sight this wine is Supremely concentrated. An inky, opaque core fading to a bright, magenta rim. So far sounds like a neighboring Malbec. Not so, the wine has shy aromas (might need decanting) of strawberries, cherries, fennel, black pepper, rosemary, smoke, and bacon. In the mouth it is Full-bodied with a simmering alcohol, deftly balanced with fine medium+ tannins that coat the teeth. Flavors of strawberries, cherries, black licorice, smoke, thyme, black olive, black pepper and soy sauce. The finish is long, complexity is high and our socks are cleanly knocked off! Loads of room for development, another 20 years no doubt. Incredible value. PAIR: Lentil fritters with roasted beetroot and Camembert, black pepper tofu and eggplant, roasted goats cheese and zucchini tart, chocolate rosemary scones and thyme-roasted walnuts.
