Corbières: 10 names to know plus top wines to try

Corbieres — (Image credit: Credit Unknown)

Traditionally known for its good-value rustic red blends, this Languedoc heartland region is forging a new reputation for quality and great terroirs. James Lawther MW heads south for a visit…

It’s the size and rugged beauty that assails you. Corbières is such a massive chunk of land and within its borders the terrain is so wild and resplendent. Rocky garrigue harbours bush-trained and trellised vines as well as pine, cherry, almond and olive trees, with fir and oak in the higher reaches. Some of the hillside vineyards seem incredibly remote, yet the major cities of Carcassonne and Narbonne to the north and Perpignan to the south are never far away, with the beach resorts of the Mediterranean adjacent to the east.

Given the size, there’s an inevitable contrast in terroirs. Soils are predominantly limestone-clay but there are zones of schist and sandstone, and enough variability to interest students of pedology. The climate is Mediterranean, but dependent on the proximity to the sea, altitude (50-500m), exposure and varying rain pattern – not to mention the passage of the humid sea wind, the Marin, or the dry northwesterly Cers – so the ripening varies, as does the quality and character of the wines.

The local authorities designated 11 different terroirs in Corbières some time ago, but realising the difficulty of transmitting the message, they are now promoting a more user-friendly plan of five touristic zones. These include the lower-lying maritime stretch with its lakes and pink flamingos; the hilly Hautes-Corbières to the south with its Cathar history; Boutenac, which has already acquired cru status; the northwest corner, which falls within the shadow of the Montagne d’Alaric and which also has a moderating Atlantic influence; and finally the plain and lower hills that stretch from Lézignan-Corbières to Narbonne in the northeast.

When all is said and done, though, it’s the ability to transmit the true expression of Corbières via these terroirs that matters, and to my mind the most important vehicle for this is the Carignan grape variety. Twenty years ago it was denigrated for its rusticity, but with lower yields and later harvesting a depth of fruit and riper tannins have been added to its hallmark colour, acidity and herbal notes. ‘With Carignan, it’s all about yield,’ says Sophie Guiraudon of Clos de l’Anhel, where output turns around 25-30hl/ha.

Other grape varieties found in red Corbières blends include Grenache, which adds fruit and volume and is also resistant to the dry conditions, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Mourvèdre, being later-ripening, prospers in the hotter zones, particularly with a maritime influence, so tends to be located in vineyards closer to the Mediterranean, and when successful provides structure and aroma. Syrah can add complexity and finesse, but clearly there is a growing concern over its ability to contend with the hot, dry weather, so site is primordial.

From 2019 a maximum 10% of the Cabernet Sauvignon-Grenache cross, Marselan, will also be permitted in the varietal mix of each property. The argument is that it copes well with the heat and drought, but the question is will it radically alter the style of Corbières? We will have to wait and see. ‘There’s already a palette of interesting varieties, so why open it up to outsiders like Marselan?’ asks Jon Bowen of Domaine Sainte Croix. Other changes include increasing Grenache Gris from 10% to 50% of the range for rosé and the addition of Carignan Blanc (up to 30%) and Viognier (up to 10%) for whites. These represent just 3% of the production, but can be surprisingly fresh and appetising.

The multitude of smallholdings has meant that cooperatives have always been an important factor, when it comes to the social fabric of the region. Over the past 20 years their number has diminished from 54 to 23, and yet they still account for 50% of production. Some, such as the Cave d’Embreset- Castelmaure, have taken the necessary steps to ensure quality and do a great job. Others are still turning out a lot of indifferent wine for sale at a low price, mainly to French supermarkets. Exports of Corbières remain at a constant of 30%.

Of the independent domaines, there are both large (100ha or more) and small. What I found encouraging on my recent visit was the emergence of a number that are leading by example. Corbières-Boutenac clearly has a dynamism spurred on by the pursuit of cru and eventually full appellation status. Château Ollieux Romanis is representative of this élan. Elsewhere there has been heavy investment in estates such as the Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite-owned Domaine d’Aussières and Domaine de La Cendrillon, but it’s the smaller domaines that may eventually add impetus to Corbières’ renown in the Languedoc.

Now, with the price of land spiralling in the more coveted appellations of the Languedoc (witness Terrasses du Larzac or Pic St-Loup), there’s a steady trickle of newer investors, such as Gaëlle and Florian Richter of Domaine des Deux Clés, chancing their luck and skill in the region. Where else can you get a great terroir and old-vine Carignan or Grenache for as little as €9,000/ha (government agency SAFER’s average price in 2017)?

The co-op near Durban in the Hautes-Corbières has been a role model since the 1980s. Hand harvesting, plot-by-plot management of the 440ha, replanting programmes, carbonic maceration to soften tannins and special selections are all practised here. Long-time winemaker Bernard Pueyo has recently retired and been replaced by Antoine Robert, fresh from making wine at Cape Mentelle in Western Australia.

Now a sizeable 60ha domaine, Boutenacbased Château Ollieux Romanis is a reference in the region. The various red cuvées are all Carignan-dominated (40%-70%), the top of the range labelled Corbières-Boutenac. Owner Pierre Bories is also developing another estate at Fabrézan – Domaine Le Champ des Murailles – and its Grande Cuvée was a Gold medal winner at the 2018 Decanter World Wine Awards.

It was the old-vine Carignan and Mourvèdre that persuaded former professional dancer Paul Old to ditch plans to return to his native Australia. After studying wine science at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga, in 2003 he bought 1.5ha in the maritime section of the Corbières, and then acquired further parcels in the Hautes-Corbières. The Mourvèdre-dominant cuvée Mire La Mer is the maritime expression, while the Grenache-based Prioundo is from the higher ground.

Topics

James Lawther MW is a contributing editor to Decanter as well as an independent wine writer, lecturer and tour guide based in Bordeaux. He retailed wine at Steven Spurrier's Les Caves de la Madeleine in Paris in the 1980s, and his early career also involved stints as a cellar hand in Bordeaux, Burgundy, Roussillon and Western Australia. In 1993, Lawther became a Master of Wine. He is author of The Heart of Bordeaux and The Finest Wines of Bordeaux, and has contributed to books including Dorling Kindersley’s Wines of the World, Oz Clarke’s Bordeaux and Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book.

Corbières: 10 names to know plus top wines to try

Scroll down for James Lawther MW’s top 12 Corbières reds to try

Corbières at a glance

Classic Carignan

Dynamic quality