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Black Reserve range launched by Vinadeis

Black Reserve is a new premium range of one white and seven red limited edition wines from the Languedoc Roussillon vineyards of Vinadeis (previously known as Val d’Orbieu), created by charismatic consultant winemaker Olivier Dauga.

In early 2012 Dauga began a long process of identification and selection of particular vineyard parcels for Black Reserve among the 1,700 hectares belonging to the Vinadeis group. What he found was a collection of unique hidden gems, some in villages with as few as 50 inhabitants. Once identified, Dauga then worked with the growers and oenologists to make the wines.

This is the first release of Black Reserve wines, destined to appear only in the most exceptional years. The wines hail from AOP Corbières, AOP Minervois, AOP Coteaux du Languedoc Quatourze and from AOP Fitou which is the oldest Languedoc-Roussillon AOP. The range has been introduced into China and will now be rolled out to other markets. In the UK, the wines will retail from £20 to £25.

Olivier Dauga (pictured below) has been given “carte blanche” by Vinadeis to unearth other exceptional terroirs amongst its vineyard areas in order to develop a limited number of additions to the range and he is currently assessing potential terroirs for the next “Black Reserve” release.

Olivier Dauga is a highly respected consultant winemaker in France, Margaret River and Ukraine, whose approach is to find the right terroirs and to work with the owners to create the wines which consumers want.

The new Black Reserve range comprises:

2013 Domaine de Carpy – Cuvée Vue Imprenable AOP Fitou: Grenache, Carignan, Mourvèdre. On chalky hills of the seaside, open to the elements and surrounded by the garrigue.

2013 Château Notre-Dame du Quatourze, Cuvée A Fleur d’Eau, AOP Coteaux du Languedoc Quatourze: Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre. Near Narbonne on the border of the Mediterranean Sea. Hard sandstone, quartz and rounded pebble soils.

2013 Château de Jonquières – Cuvée Eole AOP Corbières: Grenache, Syrah. Located just outside Narbonne in Mediterranean scrubland, a land or gorges and windy, rocky, wild hills.

2013 Domaine Serres Mazard – Cuvée Le Bois des Sorcières AOP Corbières Syrah, Grenache, Carignan. Home to a wildlife visitor centre. Surrounded by the garrigue, planted on chalky and clay soils on hills facing south.

2012 Château de Pouzols – Cuvée 1437 AOP Minervois: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre. In the Fournas family since 1437, there are 80 hectares on stony soil with south-facing clay-limestone terraces.

2013 Château Festiano – Cuvée Ramel Mazard AOP Minervois: Syrah, Grenache, Carignan. In Tourouzelle on clay-limestone slopes and owned since 1562 by the Ramel-Mazars family.

2013 Domaine Cazelles Verdier – Cuvée Les Pierres qui Chantent AOP Minervois: Syrah, Grenache, Carignan, Mourvèdre. Established in 1713 at the heart of Minervois with chalky, arid and mineral soils.

2014 Domaine Cazelles Verdier – Cuvée Les Pierres qui Chantent Grande Réserve Chardonnay.