Mas de Daumas Gassac, Rouge, 2011

Famous for its Grands Vins, the Mas de Daumas Gassac has been a family owned vineyard for more than 40 years and belongs to the Guibert family. It is set in a wild and enchanting valley, close the magnificent romanesque abbey of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert. 50 hectares of a deep, well drained soil, free from any chemical fertilisers.
It is this fabulous terroir, similar to the best parts of Burgundy, that Henri Enjalbert, the great Professor of Geology at Bordeaux university, rediscovered in the 1970’s.
Smooth, elegant, great finesse ... are words that spring to mind at the first tasting. It opens on definite hints of dark chocolate, coffee, red fruit, moving on fast to a thoroughly rounded mouth which emphasizes the finesse and elegance of the tannins, with a long powerful and velvety finish. The 2011 is a mouthwatering wine, full of flavour, lifted by the well balanced acidity and freshness so characteristic of the wines coming from the Daumas Gassac terroir.
"71.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5.6% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 2.8% Tannat, 1.6% Malbec, 2.6% Pinot Noir, 10.8% rare varieties. TA 3.44 g/l (sulphuric), pH 3.654. Smoky and more expressive than the 2012, with a chicory sort of character. Dry, tight, a little bit of fur to the tannin and lots of dense, dark liquorice and blackcurrant on the finish. Condensed fruit persisting to the finish. (RH)" 17+ pts, Jancis Robinson
"The 2011 Rouge is one of the more extroverted wines in this range. Succulent dark cherry, plum, mocha, licorice and rose petal all meld together in the glass. Curvy and generous, the 2018 offers tons of immediacy to match its exotic, totally beguiling personality. It is at the beginning of a long drinking window." 93+ pts, Antonio Galloni, Vinous