Saturday Wine Tasting 11/29

November 29: Languedoc-Roussillon

Come join us this Saturday for a fabulous afternoon of wine tasting at The San Francisco Wine Trading Company! Whether you're a wine connoisseur or just looking to have a good time, this event is perfect for you. Sample a variety of exquisite wines and mingle with fellow wine enthusiasts. Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to expand your palate and enjoy some delicious wines. See you there!

2021 Christophe Marin Côtes Catalanes Blanc “Olivia” $32.94

Christophe Marin founded this biodynamic project in 2019 after working for ten years in Burgundy as cellar master at the renowned Domaine Vincent Girardin. His experience with site-specific, single-variety winemaking deeply influenced his approach upon returning home to Languedoc-Roussillon.In a region where blending is the norm, he focuses on 100% Grenache Blanc and Grenache Noir from individual parcels. This bottling is the one exception: when he launched the estate, he didn’t yet have enough white grapes to make a monovarietal cuvée.“Olivia” is a white blend of Macabeu, Grenache Gris, and Carignan Blanc from 70-year-old vines. Grenache Gris and Carignan Blanc are gray and white mutations, respectively, that Marin discovered scattered among the Grenache Noir vines. He is committed to preserving this unique field blend.The wine is aged eight months on the lees in large barrels.

2023 Maxime Magnon “St. Jacques” $39.94

Maxime Magnon was born in Burgundy but did not inherit vineyards. Instead, he purchased land in Corbières in Languedoc-Roussillon, where he biodynamically farms abandoned high-elevation vineyards on steep slopes. He runs the estate himself.Magnon trained with Jean Foillard in Morgon—one of Kermit Lynch’s celebrated “Gang of Four,” known for pioneering natural winemaking in Beaujolais.“St. Jacques” is a blend of 30% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache Noir, 30% Carignan, and 10% Cinsault, all fermented with 100% whole clusters.

2023 Domaine La Grangette “CocoriKo” Piquepoul Noir $25.94

Domaine La Grangette is located in the heart of the Picpoul de Pinet AOC, a region traditionally known for crisp white wines made from Picpoul Blanc. They are the only estate vinifying Picpoul in all three colors: Picpoul Blanc, Picpoul Gris, and Picpoul Noir.This bottling is 100% Piquepoul Noir, giving rare visibility to the region’s historic red variety. The organically farmed vines grow on clay-limestone soils.

2021 L’Argentier Cinsault Vieilles Vignes $24.94

L’Argentier is a family-run estate in the village of Sommières, between Nîmes and Montpellier, with roots dating back to 1937. It is currently run by Élisabeth and François, the third generation to manage the domaine.They are fortunate to work with a high proportion of old vines—unusual for the area—which allows them to produce pure, expressive bottlings of indigenous varieties. They are also committed to holding wines back until they are ready to drink.This cuvée is 100% Cinsault from organically farmed 40-year-old vines. Though pale in color, it carries impressive concentration. The grapes are fermented whole cluster in concrete and then aged an additional 26 months in concrete.

2022 Domaine Anne Gros & Jean-Paul Tollot Minervois “Les Fontanilles” $32.94

This is a collaboration between two major names in French wine: Anne Gros of Vosne-Romanée and Jean-Paul Tollot of the historic Tollot-Beaut estate in Chorey-lès-Beaune. Seeking a joint project, they settled in Minervois in Languedoc, selecting high-altitude parcels at elevations comparable to Vosne-Romanée.The combination of elevation and old vines allows for slow, even ripening—preserving acidity despite the warmth of southern France.The blend is 40% Grenache, 20% Carignan, 20% Cinsault, and 20% Syrah, fermented in stainless steel and aged half in stainless steel and half in demi-muids.

2021 Mas de Daumas Gassac Rouge VDP de l’Hérault $64.94
Mas de Daumas Gassac has earned a reputation for producing some of the highest-quality Cabernet Sauvignon in the Languedoc. In 1978, the famed oenologist Émile Peynaud—who oversaw the rebirth of Château Léoville-Las Cases and consulted for Château Margaux, Haut-Brion, La Mission Haut-Brion, and La Lagune—made his first visit to Mas de Daumas Gassac.He continued to advise the estate from afar, often by telephone. When asked why he chose to work with an unknown producer in the Languedoc when he typically consulted only for world-renowned châteaux, he replied:
“I have advised the best properties in France, but there, for the first time, I had the good fortune to be present at the birth of a grand cru.”Their flagship red—often called the “Lafite of the Languedoc”—is anchored by Cabernet Sauvignon (approximately 84%) and blended with up to 17 additional grape varieties. These include small amounts of Pinot Noir, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Tannat, Cabernet Franc, and several rare, heirloom cultivars found on the estate.Mas de Daumas Gassac is known for pushing boundaries and working outside conventional classification systems. Because the estate refuses to adhere to strict AOC rules, many of its wines are released as Vin de France or IGP-level bottlings.

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