Domaine des Homs L'Amandier Cinsault 2021
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Wilfred
Wong
Product Details
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Winemaker Notes
Bursting with notes of blueberries, cassis, and strawberries and seemingly seasoned with white pepper, "L'Amandier" is the ultimate easy-drinking, everyday red. Generous on the nose, supple on the palate, and vibrant on the finish, it rolls across the palate effortlessly.
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2021 Domaine des Homs L'Amandier Cinsault nicely displaces the fruitiness of this grape variety. TASTING NOTES: This exhibits aromas and flavors of dried earthiness, red berries, tart cherries, and savory spices. Enjoy it with country pates and a selection of mild cheeses. (Tasted: May 25, 2023, San Francisco, CA)
In between the ancient Roman city of Narbonne and the old Cathar stronghold of Carcassonne, Domaine des Homs is a tribute to old-fashioned values. The good-natured, genuine and imminently pragmatic Jean-Marc and Anne De Crozals farm a sublime 20-hectare plateau deep in the Languedoc’s Minervois. In 2006, they began converting to organic farming practices and earned their certification in 2009. Regular plowing sets them apart from their neighbors, allowing their sand, silt, clay and schist soils to retain water in this otherwise windy, sunny and extremely dry climate. In the cellar, the attention to detail is no less impressive, and each wine, from their AOC Minervois to their Vin de Pays d’Ocs, is treated as its own entity, employing long vinifications on primarily native yeasts to translate the depth and soul of their magnificent terroir. The resulting wines are as seamless and approachable as the people who bring them to life, with deep, thirst-quenching reds, sun-kissed, elegant whites and succulent rosés. Their exceptional value is a marvel when one considers the incredible attention to detail that goes into every bottle.
A charmer in the Southern Rhône Valley, Cinsault thrives in any hot and windy climate, and finds success in many other countries. It is a parent grape alongside Pinot Noir, of South Africa’s acclaimed red grape, Pinotage. Somm Secret—Given its relatively long history in California, Cinsualt is often “hidden” in the Zinfandel blends of Sonoma and Contra Costa Counties. Historically planted alongside Zinfandel (with Petite Sirah and Mourvedre) in the same vineyard, Cinsault is now an essential part of many “field blends.”
An extensive appellation producing a diverse selection of good quality and great values, Languedoc spans the Mediterranean coast from the Pyrenees mountains of Roussillon all the way to the Rhône Valley. Languedoc’s terrain is generally flat coastal plains, with a warm Mediterranean climate and frequent risk of drought.
Virtually every style of wine is made in this expansive region. Most dry wines are blends with varietal choice strongly influenced by the neighboring Rhône Valley. For reds and rosés, the primary grapes include Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Cinsault and Mourvèdre. White varieties include Grenache Blanc, Muscat, Ugni Blanc, Vermentino, Macabéo, Clairette, Piquepoul and Bourbelenc.
International varieties are also planted in large numbers here, in particular Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
The key region for sparkling wines here is Limoux, where Blanquette de Limoux is believed to have been the first sparkling wine made in France, even before Champagne. Crémant de Limoux is produced in a more modern style.