Champs des Maures Chemins de Bassac 2023

The Chemins de Bassac winery evokes a medieval past with its label “Champs des Maures”: Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from a plot that bears the name of the ancient passage of the Moors, conquerors of Spain and not shy visitors even to these Occitan areas. The visual impact of the label is striking: a cyanotype print by local artist Amélie Cordier, featuring grapes and leaves gathered from the vineyard. An astonishing wine for its drinkability and balance.

The Domaine Chemins de Bassac seems to embark on a complicated bet with its “Champs des Maures”: a pure Cabernet Sauvignon from a region, Languedoc, where this variety is certainly not at home. Yet, these clay and limestone soils together, the slopes around 100 meters in altitude, and the constant fresh ventilation blowing from the Mediterranean, make one not miss the Bordeaux lands at all. The grapes are treated with extreme care: grown in biodynamic regime and with an average planting density of 5,000 vines per hectare, they are harvested manually in small boxes. The winemaking is very careful: the long maceration takes place in a cement tank and the crushing is done slowly and very gently, to harmoniously extract color, tannins, and aromas. The aging takes place always in cement tanks for a period of several months and then the wine is bottled by gravity, without undergoing clarifications, stabilizations, or forced filtrations.

“Champs des Maures” catches the eye with its intense red, a ruby streaked with violet reflections. The aromas that rise from the glass are juicy and penetrating: the fresh notes of blackberry and plum combine with citrus hints of cedar and balsamic notes of pine and eucalyptus needles. Finally, darker and more complex sensations emerge: cocoa, bark, and tobacco leaves. On the palate, it is enchanting, a very pleasant blend of freshness and southern warmth: the blackberry returns very precisely along with other dark fruits and a soft spiciness. Beautiful closure with a dry and firm tannin. An original and spirited interpretation of Cabernet Sauvignon, excellenton all occasions: meat grill or pasta dish in good company.