Blackberries, strawberries, crushed rocks, spice and licorice all emerge from the 2014 Terrasses du Larzac l'Infidele, which is based on 35% Syrah, 20% Grenache, 20% Carignan and the balance Cinsault and Mourvèdre. Rich, nicely concentrated, elegant and silky on the palate, with bright, yet integrated acidity, it should drink nicely for 5-6 years.

Lastly, the 2013 Terrasses du Larzac l’Infidele is a mix of 30% Syrah and 23% Mourvèdre, with lesser amounts of Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault, that saw all native fermentations and 12 months in 15% demi-muids. Showing the cooler nature of the vintage in its peppery, juicy, cherry pit and mineral-laced profile, it’s medium-bodied, elegant and nicely balanced, with moderate tannin and bright acidity. It’s a high quality, noticeably well-made red to drink over the coming 5-7 years.

The entry level 2012 Terrasses du Larzac l’Infidele is a blend of 30% Syrah, 25% Mourvèdre, 20% Grenache, 15% Carignan and the balanced Cinsault. Completely destemmed, vinified in stainless steel and concrete tanks, and aged 12 months in 15% new demi-muids, it’s a complete, balanced red that offers lots of currants and assorted dark fruits, smoked earth, licorice and subtle barrique characteristics. Medium to full-bodied, with terrific purity and length, it’s a classy effort that represent a good value.

The 2011 Coteaux du Languedoc Terrasses du Larzac L’Infidele possesses a subtle earthiness to go with notions of black cherries, underbrush, leather and herbs. It’s also classy and elegant, with a rock star palate that features medium to full-bodied richness, loads of texture and an overall polished, pure and layered feel. A blend of 30% Syrah, 25% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, 15% Carignan and the rest Cinsault, that spent 20 months in 15% new French oak, enjoy it over the coming 7-8 years, although I suspect it will evolve longer. Meaning “One must remain” in Occitan, Mas Cal Demoura was created by Jean-Pierre Jullien in 1970. At the time, there was a mass exodus of vignerons away from their own estates, and the region in general, due to an inability to make a living producing wine. Jean-Pierre followed this trend, but in 1985, his son Olivier set off on his own, creating the now benchmark estate Mas Jullien (which is also reviewed in this report). Following his son’s example, Jean-Pierre left the coop in 1993, sold a number of his vineyards, but kept the best 5 hectares for his own estate. Jean-Pierre retired in 2004, selling the estate (after working with them for a year during the transition) to the current owners, Isabelle and Vincent Goumard, who both studied winemaking in Dijon. The estate now covers roughly 11 hectares located outside the village of Jonquieres, in the heart of the Terrasses du Larzac region. The wines are all noteworthy, with medium to full-bodied richness that’s always balanced by classy, elegant overall profiles that remain a joy to drink. They’re all highly recommended. www.caldemoura.com Importer: Rosenthal Wine Merchant, Pine Plains, NY; tel. (518) 207-9100

Goumard’s 2009 Coteaux du Languedoc Terrasses du Larzac L’Infidele was in two tank lots subtly different in taste when I visited, and the result will be deliciously forward but no doubt capable of acquitting itself well over the next 5-7 years. Heliotrope, rose, and decadent lily in the nose mingle with cherry and black raspberry preserves that go on to inform a supple juicy palate, with hints of peat and leather accenting a generous finish. Vincent Goumard – for more about whose estate and methods, consult my account in issue 183 – has more than merely fine-tuned his approach in both the vineyard and cellar. Among the significant changes are an ongoing organic conversion; the introduction of a sorting table with the 2008 vintage; and the harvest of Carignan earlier and at lower alcohol for what Goumard calls “a complete change in the expression of this cepage,” strikingly evident amid the exciting raw materials for the estate’s 2010s. “After fermentation of the 2010 Syrahs, you thought you were in the Northern Rhone,” says Goumard, and the effusively floral and illusively carnal evidence remained abundant when I tasted from barrel in April. Imported by Rosenthal Wine Merchant, Pine Plains, NY; tel. (800) 910-1990.