If you need to ‘google’ Limoux to find out exactly where it is, don’t feel bad: Plenty of wine professionals need the refresher, too. There’s a better-than-average chance that today’s Chardonnay from Domaine de Mouscaillo will be the only Limoux wine we offer this year—but it’s a wine that compels you to explore this remote French appellation, in the foothills of the Pyrenees.
As a Burgundy lover, I’m consistently blown away by the stunning quality and deeply mineral character of Mouscaillo’s incredible Chardonnay. It surprises and impresses me whenever I encounter it, and each time I do, I re-visit (virtually, anyway) its spectacular place of origin: a north-facing vineyard at 500 meters’ elevation in the Roussillon village of Roquetaillade. Wine people still paint this part of France with too broad of a brush, as this wine so dramatically illustrates—I would enjoy (and in fact, I have enjoyed) placing this wine anonymously among serious white Burgundies and watching seasoned sommeliers react with shock and appreciation when the label is revealed. If you encountered this bottle in a restaurant you’d be excitedly snapping photos of the label in the hope of tracking some down—but we’ve taken care of that. All you need to do is take your share before it disappears!
Everything about this wine, price included, is special. Mouscaillo proprietor Pierre Fort comes from a long line of vignerons (wine-growers), generations of whom sold their grapes to the local cooperative. When Pierre and his wife, Marie-Claire, decided they wanted to make some wine of their own, they left Limoux for a spell to apprentice with others. One of their mentors was Loire Valley legend Didier Dagueneau, who needed just one visit to Roquetaillade to be convinced of its potential for great white wine. In 2003, the Forts trucked some of their Chardonnay all the way up to Dagueneu to produce their first batch of wine. The domaine was “officially” founded the year later, and now comprises six hectares of beautifully positioned vineyards rooted in limestone. Vine age in their parcels averages about 40 years, lending added profundity to the wines.
One of the unique features of the Limoux AOC, particularly at Roquetaillade’s high elevations, is that it feels the influence of both Atlantic and Mediterranean wind currents, making it considerably cooler than most of the broader Languedoc-Roussillon. The rocky soils of the region sit on a bedrock of limestone studded with ancient fossilized sea creatures, prompting comparisons to Chablis well to its north. Those with an image of Languedoc-Roussillon as a uniformly hot region producing richer, fatter whites will be surprised by the brightness and mineral nerve of this Chardonnay; it’s a completely different animal than many of the whites of the nearby Côtes Catalanes (although many of those incorporate lower-acid varieties such as Roussanne and Grenache Blanc).
The Forts are farming with organic practices and ferment and age this white in larger (450-600L) oak puncheons, with occasional stirring of the lees (bâtonnage) employed throughout. This 2016 is 95% Chardonnay seasoned with a drop of Chenin Blanc and some of the local Mauzac, and balances an appealing creaminess with profound minerality and crisp, citrus-tinged fruit. In the glass, it’s a bright straw-gold with hints of copper and green at the rim, with an expressive nose of yellow apple, Anjou pear, salted lemon, lime blossom, white flowers, chopped almonds, fresh cream, and crushed oyster shells. If tasting it blind, one could be persuaded into identifying it as something from Meursault or even Chablis, although its silky, creamy palate impression would probably bring me back down to the Côte de Beaune in the end. But here we are in the heights of Limoux, drinking a wine that is beautiful now and should continue improving over the next 3-5 years. Decant it about 15 minutes before serving at 45-50 degrees in all-purpose white wine stems, maybe with some juicy chicken cooked en papillote (in a parchment bag). The clean flavors and sneaky richness feel perfectly suited to this amazingly well-priced bottle. Enjoy!
