Domaine Madeleine Saint Jean

Vin de Pays d'Oc

Marseillan port

Marseillan, the home of the famous vermouth Noilly Prat is situated just 25 miles west of Montpellier, where the Canal du Midi enters the Bassin de Thau.  Marseillan is a beautiful little fishing port, where one can sit in a little café and enjoy the famous oysters from the adjacent oyster beds of Bouzigues, washed down with a bottle of one of the many local whites.  It is here that we found the family run domaine of Madeleine Saint Jean. 

Consisting of 30 hectares of vines, it has been in the family for many generations, and they grow an amazingly eclectic range of grapes.  In the reds there are Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, but also Marselan, l’Arinarnoa and l’Egiodola, while in the whites there are the more familiar varietals of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier et Muscat petit grain.

We were warmly welcomed by Max, one of the two sons, of the current generation, and we found the wines were a revelation of quality and individuality in an area which often produces sensible but boring whites.  His brother Jeremy is responsible for viticulture and vinification and it is his experience working in many different domaines in the Languedoc and the Rhone that has contributed towards the great quality of their wines.

We have decided to ship a mixed parcel of the Whites for our first order and a Mixed Case consists of four bottles of each wine – 

Domaine Madeleine Saint Jean Chardonnay 2010                                                                                                                                   £6.25 Vin de Pays d'Oc                                                                                                                                                                                                           It is not often that we taste Chardonnay as good as this!  For the past two years I have been on the edge of shipping some Saint Véran from Burgundy, which would sell at around £8.95 a bottle. No need to, now!  This is just as good at a fraction of the price.

This has lovely concentrated fruit with flavours of honey and green apple, underpinned with nice acidity and showing good length. A racy little wine that restores one's faith in Chardonnay and shows just how superb it can be in the right hands.

 

Domaine Madeleine Saint Jean Viognier 2010                                                                                                                                      £6.65 Vin de Pays d'Oc                                                                                                                                                                                                       We love good Viognier, but it is not always easy to find. This is a very commercial style, packed with concentrated fruit, which will take your breath away!. 

Another beautifully crafted wine, it has an exotic nose of tropical fruit, with delicious flavours of guava, melon and pineapple and good length.

 

Domaine Madeleine Saint Jean La Maison Blanche 2010                                                                                                                      £7.50 Vin de Pays d'Oc                                                                                                                                                                                                          This is their top wine, and is made from a fascinating blend of Chardonnay and Viognier with a little Sauvigon Blanc to add freshness and acidity. It was awarded a Coup de Coeur this year in the prestigious Guide Hachette, and justifiably so!

It has a complex floral nose with hints of exotic fruits, which leads into a big, silky-textured,  mouthful of delicate stone fruit flavours with apricot and hints of grapefruit and minerality at the finish, which leads into a very long aftertaste.

MIXED CASE PRICE : £81.60

 

STOP PRESS!  DON'T MISS OUT ON THIS!  In good years, they make a small amount of a fabulously rich and complex dessert wine. We have managed to obtain a small quantity, so just add a bottle or two to your orders.

Domaine Madeleine Saint Jean La Maison Jaune 2010                                                                                                                           £9.50 Vin de Pays d'Oc  (50cl)                                                                                                                                                                                               This is labelled "Vendanges d'après", which refers to late date of harvesting, when the grapes are super-ripe.  It is made from 50% Viognier and 50% Muscat and although it is not fortified, such is the ripeness of the grapes, that it weighs in at an amazing 16%!

It has a superb nose of ripe Muscat grapes, orange zest and spice, while on the palate it is rich, concentrated, packed with exotic fruit flavours. The unctuous sweetness is balanced by excellent acidity and there is a long aromatic aftertaste.  Definitely a dessert wine, and one that would actually go extremely well with chocolate, which is notoriously difficult to partner with wine. Alternatively, do what the French do, have it with foie gras.