France – Castel de Brames Serena Brocol 2014

Domaine and vineyard

The Domaine Castel de Brames is located in the small village of Brames-Aigues, in the South West of France, is the country yard between Toulouse and Albi. We are in one of the most ancient terroir of the AOC Gaillac, exactly on the third slope of the left side of Tarn river.

Terrain here is made of sediments deposed all along the centuries by the river, with sporadic presence of clay or stones.

The hill slope is sometimes very marked and all the vineyards are exposed to South-West. In few words, the perfect mix to give to Gaillac wines the right amount of sun and quality.

The domaine produces grapes over its 30 hectares of property, 20 of them are dedicated to red grapes, with a mix of international and autochthone grapes. In the remaining 10 hectars are cultivated white grapes, following the same principle of mixing international with autochthone. At the head of this business, since 1969, the couple composed of Camille Bauguil and Alain Boullenger, who, from 2007, decided to perform a little internal revolution by eliminating all machinery in the cave to re-discover the ancestral way to produce wine: horizontal tanks, feet to pressure and mix the grapes, in the ultimate aim to recover, in a modern way, the old aromas and flavors the industrial production was erasing.

No organic anyway but a “reasoned” conduction of the vineyard, with no chemical substances, controlling herbs and density of leaves on the vines.

The wine

Castel de Brames Serena Brocol 2014 is a 100% Brocol (or Fer Servadou). The vines are trained in Cordon de Royat system with an average yield of 40 hl/ha. The pressured grapes undergo the fermentation process in horizontal tanks at controlled temperature with daily remixes of juice and lees realized using feet. The wine is finally bottled and sent to the market.

Tasting Note

Date	3 February 2016
Wine name	SERENA BROCOL	Vintage	2014
Nation	Francia	Region	Languedoc
AOC-DOC	Gaillac	Grape Varieties	100 % Brocol
Serving temperature	18° C	Alcohol	12
Price (in euro)	5,50	SO2 (in mg/l)	Nd

Visual Examination		Taste analysis
Limpidity	Limpid	Body	Full
Color	Deep ruby red	Balance	Balanced
Consistency	Quite consistent	Soft sensations	Warm, Quite Soft
Effervescence	//	Hard sensations	Quite Tannic – Scarcely  tasty
		Flavors intensity	Quite Intense
Olfactory analysis		Flavours	Cassis, pepper
Aroma intensity	Quite Intense
Complexity	Scarcely Complex	Finish/Persistence	Quite Persistent
Quality	Quite Fine	Overall evaluations
Aromas	Red fruits, Spices	Development	Ready/Young
		Harmony	Harmonious

Food pairing

The wine matches perfectly with grilled red meat or charcuterie.

Once again a new grape variety to taste. The wine reflects in toto the information provided by the producer: clear aroma of red fruits and light indications of spices; in the mouth the flavor of red fruit (in particular cassis) persists, with a point of acidity and sharp tannins that create the perfect match with frilled meats. A good body and a lasting persistence with an alcoholic degree quite light.

To sum up, a nice wine, with strong characteristics, at a fair price.

Official website: www.castel-de-brames.com