To have a “coup de cœur” in French means that you instantly fall in love with something, it could be anything, for instance a wine.
In the wine competition “Coup de Cœur des femmes journalistes” female journalists are supposed to find their coup de coeur among award-winning wines made by some of the many co-operatives in Languedoc-Roussillon.
I was one of the journalists in the jury and at the beginning of June we all gathered in Limoux in the beautiful south-western part of Languedoc to meet representatives from the coops and to taste their wines.
This was the 17th “Coup de Cœur des femmes journalistes” so it is now a classic among wine competitions. And every year our mission is to select three “coup de coeur”, one for each colour, among 57 wines that were awarded a gold medal in the “Concours Régional des vins de la coopération”. This competition took place in March this year and 74 cooperatives competed with in total 542 wines.
I was in the rosé group and after having tasted through all wines, around 20, I was truly impressed by the quality of the wines. Of course they had all won gold medals but still, it is amazing how good a rosé wine can taste nowadays. I actually had 3 favourites but after discussions in the group I had to agree to another Coup de Coeur. But I liked that one as well.
First, the winners:
- Coup de Coeur, Rosé: Les Terrasses Cévenoles Rosé 2011, Le Cigalois
IGP Cévennes, 3.20 euro (consumer price) - Coup de Cœur, Red: Les Vignerons des Cers Portiragnes, In Vino Erotico Rouge 2010
IGP Coteaux du Libron, 5.70 euro - Coup de Cœur, White: Les Vignerons d’Alignan du Vent, Neffiès, Domaine des Montarels Chardonnay 2010
IGP Côtes de Thongue, 6.80 euro
My own personal favourites among the rosé wines:
- Moulin d’Eole, AOP Costières de Nimes, Rosé 2011, 4.20 euro
- Code Séduction, Syrah, IGP Pays d’Oc, Rosé 2011, Les Vignerons des Cers Portiragnes, 3.95 euro
- La Garrigue Rosé 2011, AOC Languedoc La Clape, La Vendémiaire, 4.90 euro
- Extrême Gris Rosé 2011, AOC Languedoc, Montpeyroux Cooperative Artisanale, 4.50 euro
3 Responses
Imagine my delight being an Englishman living on the border of the Corbieres and the Minervois.. and able to buy this great wine for less than €2 a litre.. together with the beautiful countryside, the great Languedoc people, wonderful food and the sun shines everyday. Go on.. be jealous.
Hi Peter, thanks for your comment. And don’t worry, we are!
Surely this cannot be my friend Peter Mathews who lived much of his
adult life in Montreal and Vancouver before relocating to the Ariège
and yet still insists on identifying himself as an Englishman? Whatever,
I wish I was there with Peter quaffing that two-euro rosé.