The Wine

Guilhem Durand, together with his consultant Claude Gros (who looks after some of the best Domaines in the Languedoc) have really refined Château La Bastide into delicious wines of great value.
The 70-hectare vineyard is southeast facing on chalky clay soil with alluvial gravel covering much of the topsoil and large round stones covering the best vineyard area. 80% Syrah, Grenache and Carignan Vieilles Vignes (some up to 120 years old) at 38 hl/ha in the hands of Guilhem Durand make Château la Bastide a wonderful mouthful of extraordinary good value. Apart from the Carignan which is vinified with macération carbonique, the cuvaison at 27 degrees lasts for up to 25 days for Château La Bastide Corbières, the must being pumped over. All the wines are made and matured in a mixture of cement and stainless steel tanks, with some barrel ageing for part of the wines.

The 2012 white wines are all without exception quite delicious. Abondance ia a blend of Roussanne and Vermentino, while the Corbières Blanc is made from Roussanne with Vermentino and Bourboulenc, 15% being fermented in barrel. The straight Syrah, made from 10-12 year old vines, is a red wine of extraordinary good value, while the Syrah Vieilles Vignes shows real class. Château La Bastide Tradition, made from Syrah with Grenache and Mourvèdre, has both complexity and good character but makes for a delicious easy drinking red wine. Exubérance, made form Grenache with some Mourvèdre, is softer in style than Château La Bastide Tradition. Château La Bastide continues to be one of the most popular properties in our portfolio.

Aromas

A peppery nose with a hint of mint and herbs

Enjoy With

Perfect for Christmas dinner.

Cellaring

This wine is great to drink now and will provide good drinking over the next 5-8 years.