Ferrandière Vignobles
Jon Atkinson profiles a historic French estate which offers plenty of bang for your buck
I DON’T THINK I HAVE FOCUSSED any of my columns thus far on a single estate, but this one intrigues me; Domaine Ferrandière is a 100-hectare estate at Aigues-Vives which is due east of the town of Carcassonne in south-west France. It was originally established by the Gau family just over 100 years ago and is unusual in so far as it was planted on the bed of a reclaimed salt-water lagoon, the Etang de Marseillette.
The estate was acquired by Domaines Paul Mas in 2013 and Jean-Claude has subsequently planted 18 different grape varieties here. Due to the high salt levels that are residual in the soil, phylloxera (a burrowing louse that feeds on the sap in the roots of the vine) cannot survive, so ungrafted vines can be planted; these live longer and in theory give a more concentrated fruit. The high salt levels have resulted in the development of a unique cultivation technique in which the vineyards are flooded in winter and spring to flush the majority of the salt deeper down into the sub-soil, which is achieved through a network of irrigation channels.
Although the vineyards are typically less than 25 metres above sea level, there is a surprisingly high fluctuation in temperature between night and day (diurnal range) which allows for a goodly length of growing season and suitably prolonged ‘hang time’ with the associated benefits to quality of fruit. The vineyards are farmed sustainably and are certified by Terra Vitis. All of the range is vegan-friendly.
I have been very impressed with the quality of wine produced here – you certainly get plenty of bang for your buck! We started importing a comprehensive selection of their wines last year and they have already established themselves as firm favourites with staff and customers alike. I was in a bit of a quandary as to which ones to pick for my recommendations this month, but eventually settled on the following, all of which are available from our Great Howard Street store.
Chardonnay IGP Pays d’Oc 2022
The Chardonnay vines that produce this deliciously crisp and elegant wine are between 30 and 50 years old. Being fairly mature, they give a lovely quality of concentrated fruit which is harvested in the cool of night to guard against oxidation and help retain the freshness and delicacy of the aroma. Fermentation is temperature-controlled and the wine spends three months on the lees for added complexity. A pure, elegantly dry, precise palate with plenty of lean pineapple and Granny Smith fruit with a subtle creaminess. Crisp with plenty of vitality and a full, well-rounded mouthfeel finishing long and mineral. £10.95
Le grand Vin Blanc IGP Pays d’Oc 2022
This is a style of wine that I affectionately refer to as ‘full-fat’! It is a slightly unorthodox blend of Chardonnay, Viognier and Pinot Gris each of which was vinified separately after night harvesting with maceration on the skins (although this is no orange wine!). After blending it was aged for four months in a 50/50 mix of French and American oak barriques. Deep straw yellow/pale gold in appearance with silver tints and a rich, toasty/honeyed nose with vanilla and nutmeg aromas with honeydew melon and nectarine fruit. The palate is broad, creamy-textured and powerfully flavoured – full-bodied, rich and rounded with warming oak, honeyed pineapple and spicy vanilla flavours with a toasty oakiness on the finish. £14.50
Pinot Noir IGP Pays d’Oc 2022
The Pinot Noir plantings at Ferrandière are about 15 years old and with this variety being thin-skinned and relatively delicate, as with the white varieties, it is also harvested at night. There is also a Reserve version of Pinot Noir here, but we prefer the vitality of this unoaked version. Pale ruddy red with an orange-pink rim and medium viscosity. A beguiling nose with generous, herb-infused red berry fruits with hints of cumin and carraway seed. Quite full in the mouth by Pinot Noir standards with juicy acidity, very gentle, chalky-textured tannins and plentiful soft red fruit that finishes long, quite dry and mineral. £10.95
Malbec IGP Pays d’Oc 2022
Given the runaway success of Malbecs from Argentina, it’s easy to forget that this most popular variety originates from France, specifically the small region of Cahors. Malbec seemingly does very well in the Languedoc with an ever-increasing number of very decent examples (including this one!). As with the Pinot Noir, this one does not see any time in oak, allowing the purity of fruit to shine through. Medium deep, ruby red with a garnet rim with a richly fruity nose with damson, blueberry and redcurrant aromas with hints of cinnamon and cracked black peppercorns. The palate is medium – full-bodied, supple and juicy with generous, slightly spicy red fruit flavours with ripe, gently chewy tannins and a long, slightly mineral finish. £10.95
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- Chardonnay IGP Pays d’Oc 2022
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- Le grand Vin Blanc IGP Pays d’Oc 2022
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- Malbec IGP Pays d’Oc 2022
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- Pinot Noir IGP Pays d’Oc 2022
