Wine: Red Languedoc's charm overcomes bad reputation

The Languedoc region in France has some 50,000 grape growers that produce about two billion bottles of wine a year - making it France's largest producer.

Most of the wine is red, and most of it is produced through cooperatives in which grapes for a single bottle of wine can come from many different growers in this region along the Mediterranean coast. (The adjacent area of Roussillon was recently added to the Languedoc region.)

Languedoc wines have a history of over-production and being low-quality table wines, but that reputation has been jettisoned in favor of improved quality with the coming of new technology and more regulation.

Reds from Languedoc work with hearty foods such as beef or pork. Our wine-tasting group compared red blends costing $15-$30. The results follow.

» 2006 Domaine de Fontsainte Corbieres, $15.99.
The aroma suggested charcoal, vanilla, smoke, leather, bacon fat, menthol and wintergreen. The palate showed every flavor suggested by the aroma plus bright cherries, raspberries and a hint of iodine. This was a complex wine - not really for beginners - that earned our top rating.

» 2005 L'Archet Cuvee Occitane, $19.99.
The nose reminded us of dark plums, blueberries, cedar, mint, eucalyptus, smoked ham and raw bacon. In the mouth, we tasted blueberries, pomegranates, juicy plums, leather and tobacco. The fruit and tannins worked in harmony, earning this wine second place in our tasting. (Tannins are substances in grapes and wood that give wine structure and character, but when young can make your mouth pucker.)

» 2005 Domaine Rene Rostaing Les Lezardes, $29.99.
We discovered scents of buttered, poached fruit, tart cherries, cinnamon and spiced apples. On the tongue we tasted stemmy fruit, sour black cherries and cranberries. The wine's lighter texture and low acidity made it easy to sip on - perhaps before or with a meal. It ranked third.

» 2004 Domaine Magellan, $16.99.
The aroma included currants, black cherries, anise, coffee beans, licorice and tarragon. Plenty of dried herbs, cocoa, pepper and firm tannins appeared on the palate. This wine gave an ashy, dusty impression, especially with the cocoa and herbs.

» 2005 Chateau de Mattes-Sabran Corbieres, $18.99.
We found a bouquet of stemmy and green fruit, red cherries, dried strawberries, ashy tea and eucalyptus. The tannins were very young and tight, needing time to open up. Flavors included cherry skins and buttered almonds. This wine was a syrah that was the driest of the five we tasted.

» 2006 Arrogant Frog Lily Pad Noir, $13.99.
If you are looking for a less-expensive Languedoc, you might consider the Arrogant Frog. The aroma had a lot of butter - too much for some tasters - with dill, raisins, chocolate and peat moss. Bright fruit flavors exploded on the tongue and then disappeared. The texture was a bit chalky. This pinot noir-based wine needed to be drunk with something fatty.

SURFING THE WINE SHELVES:

» 2007 Stoneleigh Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, $12.99.
A typical New Zealand profile showed aromas of grapefruit, ripe citrus fruit and passion fruit. A nice minerality appeared on the palate.

» 2007 Lindemans Bin 55 Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon, $7.99.
An easy-drinking red blend of flavors from the two grapes, including black fruit, plums, pepper, spice, vanilla and oak.

» 2006 Napa Cellars Zinfandel, $22.
If you like your zinfandel full of luscious fruit, this wine offered a pretty palate of ripe dark berries, candied fruit and strawberry jam. The finish was gorgeous.