A few years ago we had the first part of the vertical, which had a few vintages we tasted also this time, but mainly focused on the older vintages of MdDG. Conversely, this time we had all the recent vintages from the 2008 to the most recent release (yes, the 2021 vintage has been released, but that happened after this tasting!).
Since I wrote a small introduction to the producer already in my previous tasting report, I’m not planning on re-doing it here. If you don’t know the producer for some reason, go check that out.
- 1996 Gaja Langhe Sito Moresco - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC (30.10.2023)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Nebbiolo, approximately 1/3 of each. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Translucent, somewhat evolved cherry-red color with a pale brick-red rim. The nose feels fragrant and quite noticeably Italian with aromas of ripe cherries, some dusty notes of earth, a little bit of strawberries and blackcurrants, light evolved notes of wizened dark plums, a hint of sweet pipe tobacco and a woody touch of cedar. The wine feels ripe, textural and somewhat meaty on the palate with a medium body and savory flavors of wizened sour cherries, some tobacco, a little bit of marmaladey red fruit, light earthy tones, a developed hint of meat stew and a touch of ripe red plum. The overall feel is firm yet quite silky at first, thanks to the rather high acidity and ample yet quite gentle tannins. However, the tannins gradually pile up on the gums, making the wine slowly become quite tannic and robust in structure. The finish is evolved, savory and quite grippy with a long, nuanced aftertaste of wizened dark fruits, some developed notes of leather and pipe tobacco, a little bit of ripe black cherry, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of blackcurrant.
A tasty, harmonious and beautifully resolved vintage of Sito Moresco. Right from the very first sniff the wine had a very Italian feel to it, yet I didn't guess Italy immediately due to the somewhat Bordelais overtones - mainly from the blackcurrant notes of Cabernet. Well, it didn't take us that long to guess Piedmont correctly. All in all, a fine and very complete wine that is more or less at its peak now. The wine doesn't feel young anymore, what with its evolved complexity and all that, but the wine hasn't really progressed into that old, tertiary phase yet. I was glad we caught the wine at such a great spot, where the vibrant fruity notes and the more mature flavors are in perfect balance.
(93 points) - 2008 Mas de Daumas Gassac - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Vin de Pays de l'Hérault (30.10.2023)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (70%), Merlot (6,5%), Cabernet Franc (5,3%), Pinot Noir (4,1%), Tannat (3,7%), Malbec (1,9%), Syrah (1,4%) and the remaining 7,1% rounded out by a blend of Abouriou, Carmenère, Montepulciano (Italy), Nielluccio, Saperavi (Georgia), and Tempranillo (Spain), all harvested on 15 days between September 13th and October 3rd. Fermented and macerated for 20 days in stainless steel tanks, aged for 12-15 months in oak barrels ranging from new to 7 years old. 13,07% alcohol, 5,1 g/l acidity and pH 3,44. Total production 98,000 bottles and 3,600 magnums. Decanted for 30 minutes, tasted in a Mas de Daumas Gassac 2020-2008 vertical.
The wine looks still surprisingly youthful for its age with a dark, quite translucent ruby color. The nose feels somewhat ripe with dark-toned aromas of juicy blackcurrants, some herbaceous leafy tones, a little bit of leathery farmhouse funk, light ferrous notes of blood, a hint of forest floor and a touch of bilberry. The wine feels fresh, harmonious and airy on the palate with a moderately full body and quite savory flavors of crunchy red plums, some leathery funk, light juicy notes of fresh bilberries and juicy blackcurrants, a little bit of gravelly minerality, a ferrous hint of blood and a touch of leathery funk. The overall feel is firm and balanced with bright high acidity and ripe medium tannins. The finish is somewhat grippy and quite long with a savory aftertaste of ripe dark berries and fresh bilberries, some ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of leathery funk, light gravelly mineral tones, a hint of leafy forest floor and a touch of tart red plum.
A fine, supple and harmonious vintage of MdDG, showing good sense of depth and vibrancy but surprisingly little age, even if the wine is already 15 years old. Although the leafy herbaceous notes and juicy blackcurrant tones of Cabernet Sauvignon are probably the most obvious flavors here, there is so much else going on here as well. The wine doesn't really need any additional aging from the structural point of view - the wine is perfectly ready to go right now - but from the flavor perspective, the wine is still very youthful with lots of room for evolution. Although the wine is sitting firmly within its drinking window, I think it is still some 10 years away from its apogee and most likely the wine will keep just fine for many years more. Terrific stuff, highly recommended.
(93 points) - 2009 Mas de Daumas Gassac - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Vin de Pays de l'Hérault (30.10.2023)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (72,4%), Merlot (6,3%), Cabernet Franc (4,4%), Tannat (3,6%), Pinot Noir (3,1%), Malbec (2,6%), and the remaining 7,6% rounded out by a blend of Abouriou, Carmenère, Montepulciano (Italy), Nielluccio, Saperavi (Georgia), and Tempranillo (Spain), all harvested on 10 days between September 9th and 23rd. Fermented and macerated for 20 days in stainless steel tanks, aged for 12-15 months in oak barrels ranging from new to 7 years old. 13,41% alcohol, 5,34 g/l acidity and pH 3,5. Total production 110,000 bottles and 4,500 magnums. Decanted for 30 minutes, tasted in a Mas de Daumas Gassac 2020-2008 vertical.
Deep, quite youthful and somewhat opaque dark ruby red color. The nose feels ripe, dark-toned and quite fruit-driven with aromas of dark plummy fruit and juicy black cherry, some crushed dark berries, light earthy tones, a little bit of cassis, a hint of leathery funk and a woody touch of pencil shavings. The wine feels ripe, juicy and moderately chewy on the palate with a full body and vibrant yet savory flavors of blueberries, some sweet blackcurrant tones, light bretty notes of leathery funk, a little bit of phenolic spice, a hint of gravelly minerality and a ferrous touch of blood. The overall feel is pretty firm and somewhat muscular, thanks to the rather high acidity and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is ripe, savory and rather grippy with a long aftertaste of blackcurrants, some tobacco, a little bit of leathery funk and phenolic spice, light juicy notes of ripe dark plums, a hint of earth and a touch of sweet bilberries.
A rather ripe and somewhat hefty but also very balanced and enjoyably structure-driven vintage of MdDG that shows the warm vintage qualities, but doesn't let them dominate - this is still very much Mas de Daumas Gassac through and through. The overall feel is still quite youthful with relatively little sense of development in either the fruit department or the tannic structure. A fine and thoroughly enjoyable wine with lots of upside. Highly recommended.
(92 points) - 2010 Mas de Daumas Gassac - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Vin de Pays de l'Hérault (30.10.2023)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (70%), Cabernet Franc (6,2%), Merlot (5,3%), Pinot Noir (3,6%), Tannat (3,2%), Malbec (2%), and the remaining 9,7% rounded out by a blend of Abouriou, Carmenère, Montepulciano (Italy), Nielluccio, Saperavi (Georgia) and Tempranillo (Spain), all harvested on 8 days between September 16th and 26th. Fermented and macerated for 20 days in stainless steel tanks, aged for 12-15 months in oak barrels ranging from new to 7 years old. 13,64% alcohol, 5,46 g/l acidity and pH 3,46. Total production 100,000 bottles and 3,000 magnums. Decanted for an hour, tasted in a Mas de Daumas Gassac 2020-2008 vertical.
Deep, quite youthful and somewhat opaque dark ruby red color. The nose feels dull, somewhat dusty and a bit off with vague aromas of blueberries, light cassis tones and a hint of earth. The wine feels dry, dense and somewhat dull on the palate with a medium body and intense yet indistinct flavors of dusty earth, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of ripe blackcurrant, light old leather nuances and a hint of sweet dark fruit. The wine is quite high in acidity with ample, grippy tannins. The finish is earthy, grippy and somewhat dull with a long, non-fruity aftertaste of dusty earth, some old leather and a hint of stony minerality.
This didn't really smell or taste like TCA, but probably the wine was otherwise off - perhaps corked due to some other molecule than TCA? Whatever the case, this definitely wasn't how the wine was supposed to be. A disappointment.
(NR/flawed) - 2011 Mas de Daumas Gassac - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Vin de Pays de l'Hérault (30.10.2023)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (71,6%), Merlot (5,6%), Cabernet Franc (5%), Tannat (2,8%), Pinot Noir (2,6%), Malbec (1,6%) and the remaining 10,8% rounded out by a blend of Areni (from Armenia), Amigne (Switzerland), Barbera (Italy), Bastardo aka. Trousseau, Brancellao (Portugal/Spain), Carmenère, Chkhaveri (Georgia), Dolcetto (Italy), Montepulciano (Italy), Nebbiolo (Italy), Petit Verdot, Plavac Mali (Croatia), Saperavi (Georgia), Souzão (Portugal) and "Tchekavesi" (?). Fermented and macerated for 20 days in stainless steel tanks, aged for 12-15 months in oak barrels ranging from new to 7 years old. 13,82% alcohol, 5,16 g/l acidity and pH 3,54. Total production 100,000 bottles and 2,800 magnums. Decanted for an hour, tasted in a Mas de Daumas Gassac 2020-2008 vertical.
Youthful, deep and quite opaque black cherry color. The nose feels ripe, juicy and vibrant with nuanced aromas of blueberries and dark plums, some strawberries, a little bit of juicy cassis, light bretty notes of leathery funk, a hint woody hint of pencil shavings, a touch of licorice root and a whiff of dried dark fruits. The wine feels dry, dense and chewy on the palate with a medium body and focused flavors of blueberries and dark plums, some bretty notes of barnyard and leathery funk, a little bit of stony minerality, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a hint of licorice root and a touch of sour cherry bitterness. The overall feel is firm, chewy and textural, thanks to the rather high acidity and ample yet quite ripe and somewhat resolved tannins that still retain quite a bit of grip. The finish is savory, dark-toned and moderately grippy with a long, complex aftertaste of blueberries and ripe blackcurrants, some juicy plummy tones, a little bit of leathery funk, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a bretty hint of barnyard and a herbaceous touch of leafy forest floor.
A fine, complex and harmonious vintage of Gassac. This was my third time tasting this particular vintage, and it has always been a pleasure. It shows good sense of rusticity, yet the overall feel is very sophisticated and so balanced. This was pretty identical to the similarly delicious 2013 vintage, but maybe a tiny bit more complex and nuanced in comparison. A terrific wine in every respect.
(94 points) - 2012 Mas de Daumas Gassac - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert (30.10.2023)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (75,6%), Merlot (5,5%), Tannat (4,4%), Cabernet Franc (3,9%), Malbec (1,8%), Pinot Noir (1,8%) and the remaining 7% rounded out by a blend of Abouriou, Carmenère, Montepulciano (Italy), Nielluccio, Saperavi (Georgia), and Tempranillo (Spain), all harvested on 8 days between September 17th and 27th. Fermented and macerated for 20 days in stainless steel tanks, aged for 12-15 months in oak barrels ranging from new to 7 years old. 13,37% alcohol, 5,0 g/l acidity and pH 3,63. Total production 100,000 bottles and 3,000 magnums. Decanted for an hour, tasted in a Mas de Daumas Gassac 2020-2008 vertical.
Youthful, quite deep and slightly translucent black cherry color. The nose feels open, dark-toned and somewhat sweetly-fruited with aromas of ripe black cherries and pipe tobacco, some juicy blackcurrants, a little bit of leathery funk, light plummy tones, woody hints of savory oak spice and a touch of forest floor. The wine feels ripe, juicy and supple on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and dark-toned flavors of juicy blackcurrants and succulent dark plums, some bretty notes of phenolic spice and farmhouse funk, light gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of black raspberry, a hint of earth and a touch of woody oak spice. The soft medium acidity makes the overall feel a bit round and mellow, even though the ample, moderately drying tannins keep the mouthfeel firm and grippy. The finish is juicy, soft and mellow with a ripe, sweet-toned and somewhat long aftertaste of dark plummy fruit, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of earth, light blackcurrant tones, a brambly hint of black raspberry and a touch of leathery funk. The ample tannins make the wine finish on a somewhat grippy, drying note.
A pleasant but also surprisingly soft and mellow vintage of Mas de Daumas Gassac that was strikingly different to the two amazing vintages we tasted right before and after it - 2011 and 2013. This tastes more or less like a MdDG, but the overall feel is somewhat soft, lacking the energy and intensity typical of the wine. Also, probably due to the somewhat modest acidity, the fruit profile comes across as slightly yet noticeably sweeter and more sunny. Not particularly marmaladey, but definitely softer and sweeter than in the other vintages of this period. While I enjoyed this wine, it was a bit modest effort in our 2008-2020 Mas de Daumas Gassac vertical tasting, not really on the usual level of this label.
(89 points) - 2013 Mas de Daumas Gassac - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert (30.10.2023)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (72%), Merlot (5,4%), Tannat (5,3%), Cabernet Franc (3,8%), Malbec (2,5%), Pinot Noir (2%) and the remaining 9% rounded out by a blend of Abouriou, Carmenère, Montepulciano (Italy), Nielluccio, Saperavi (Georgia), and Tempranillo (Spain), all harvested on 10 days between September 23rd and October 4th. Fermented and macerated for 20 days in stainless steel tanks, aged for 12-15 months in oak barrels ranging from new to 7 years old. 13,5% alcohol, 5,13 g/l acidity and pH 3,55. Total production 110,000 bottles and 3,000 magnums. Decanted for 1,5 hours, tasted in a Mas de Daumas Gassac 2020-2008 vertical.
Youthful, vibrant and slightly translucent black cherry color. The nose feels dark-toned and savory with aromas of juicy blackcurrants and earthy spices, strawberry tones, a little bit of dusty wood and cedar, light licorice tones, a smoky hint of phenolic spice, a touch of salty liquorice and a sweet whiff of blueberries. On the palate the wine feels ripe and silky yet wonderfully firm and savory at the same time with a rather full body and intense flavors of ripe blackcurrants and fresh blueberries, some tobacco, light strawberry tones, a little bit of bretty funk and phenolic spice, woody hints of savory oak spice and a touch of dusty earth. The wine shows great sense of balance and structure with its rather high acidity and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is long, savory and moderately grippy with a rather intense aftertaste of ripe dark berries and fresh blackcurrants, some dark plummy tones, a little bit of tobacco, light woody notes of savory old oak, a hint of earthy spices and a phenolic touch of bretty funk.
A terrific, balanced and harmonious vintage of Mas de Daumas Gassac with great sense of flavor intensity and a good, firm structure. Stylistically this was very similar to the 2011 vintage, perhaps showing even a tad more flavor intensity. However, if I had to select the better out of these two vintages, I'd still probably go with the 2011 vintage, which felt a tiny bit more open and nuanced with ever so slightly greater depth of flavor. However, both of these vintages have been outstanding in every way, showing tons of potential for future development. This is a great wine with lots of upside. Highly recommended.
(93 points) - 2014 Mas de Daumas Gassac - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert (30.10.2023)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (77%), Merlot (7%), Cabernet Franc (5%), Petit Verdot (3%), Malbec (2%), Pinot Noir (2%) Tannat (1%) and the remaining 3% rounded out by a blend of Abouriou, Carmenère, Montepulciano (Italy), Nielluccio, Saperavi (Georgia), and Tempranillo (Spain), all harvested on 4 days between September 11th and 14th. Fermented and macerated for 20 days in stainless steel tanks, aged for 12-15 months in oak barrels ranging from new to 7 years old. 13,6% alcohol, 5,18 g/l acidity and pH 3,57. Total production 100,000 bottles and 2,500 magnums. Decanted for 1,5 hours, tasted in a Mas de Daumas Gassac 2020-2008 vertical.
Dark and quite opaque black cherry color with a slightly evolved pomegranate hue. The nose feels youthful and sweet-toned but also a bit reticent with light aromas of blueberries and tobacco, some brambly notes of black raspberries, a little bit of licorice, light perfumed floral tones, a hint of earthy spices and a touch of fresh blackcurrant. The wine feels quite dense and chewy but also beautifully silky on the palate with a rather full body and somewhat dark-toned flavors of dark plums and sweet black cherries, some crunchy notes of fresh blackcurrants, light notes of pipe tobacco, a little bit of leathery funk, a primary hint of fruity jellies and a touch of earth. The overall feel is firm and quite structured with the rather high acidity and quite grippy tannins, yet the overall feel is very harmonious, not tough of aggressive. The finish is rich, ripe and vibrant with moderately grippy tannins and a long, somewhat sweet-toned aftertaste of black cherries and dark plums, some pipe tobacco, light spicy phenolic tones, a little bit of juicy blackcurrant, a candied hint of sweet primary fruit and a touch of leathery funk.
A nice, firm and quite chewy vintage of Mas de Daumas Gassac that feels somewhat similar to the 2013 vintage, only with more emphasis on concentration and sweeter-toned fruit. The wine is remarkably youthful for its age at 9 years, still retaining some candied primary fruit flavors. I feel the wine is very promising, but still perhaps more about future potential than immediate enjoyment - I'd let the wine wait for another 5-10 years, easily. Most likely this will hit its peak after another 15-20 years. A bold wine with lots of upside, but at the moment is still holding back a little bit.
(91 points) - 2015 Mas de Daumas Gassac - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert (30.10.2023)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (79%), Merlot (7%), Cabernet Franc (6%), Malbec (2%), Pinot Noir (2%) and the remaining 4% rounded out by a blend of Abouriou, Areni (from Armenia), Amigne (Switzerland), Barbera (Italy), Bastardo aka. Trousseau, Brancellao (Portugal/Spain), Carmenère, Chkhaveri (Georgia), Dolcetto (Italy), Montepulciano (Italy), Nebbiolo (Italy), Plavac Mali (Croatia), Saperavi (Georgia), Souzão (Portugal) and "Tchekavesi" (?). Fermented and macerated for 20 days in stainless steel tanks, aged for 12-15 months in oak barrels ranging from new to 7 years old. 13,5% alcohol, 5,1 g/l acidity and pH 3,58. Total production 100,000 bottles and 4,000 magnums. Decanted for 1,5 hours, tasted in a Mas de Daumas Gassac 2020-2008 vertical.
Very dark and quite opaque black cherry color with a youthful, inky purplish hue. The nose feels ripe, rich and moderately sweet-toned with youthful, intense aromas of ripe blackcurrants and blueberries, some dusty wood notes, a little bit of earth, light leafy Cab tones, a hint of minty greenness, a touch of ripe boysenberry and a whiff of barnyard funk. The wine feels juicy, dense and textural on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of ripe blackberries and dark plums, some strawberry tones, light stony mineral notes, a little but of dusty old oak spice, a hint of earth and a touch of sour cherry bitterness. The wine feels pretty chewy and muscular due to its high acidity and ample, moderately grippy tannins. The finish is ripe, juicy and quite grippy with a long, intensely flavored aftertaste of dark boysenberry-driven fruit notes, some dusty old wood, a little bit of ripe strawberry and red cherry, light stony mineral notes, a crunchy hint of tart cranberry and a touch of bretty funk.
A ripe and sunny but at the same time impressively firm, balanced and structured vintage of Mas de Daumas Gassac. Although the wine feels quite substantial for a MdDG, it isn't lacking in freshness and it never comes across as heavy or clumsy. Although the fruit department is a bit on the sweet side, the combination of high acidity and firm, moderately drying tannins keeps the wine from coming across as too ripe and sweet-toned. An impressive powerhouse that feels like it is built for the long haul. Seeing how the wine isn't showing any obvious signs of development at 8 years of age, it is obvious that the wine is still far away from its apogee. Most likely the wine will hit its peak in another 20 years or so. Expect the score to go up as the wine ages. Recommended.
(92 points) - 2016 Mas de Daumas Gassac - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert (30.10.2023)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (77%), Merlot (7%), Cabernet Franc (4%), Petit Verdot (4%), Malbec (3%), Pinot Noir (3%) and the remaining 3% rounded out by a blend of Abouriou, Carmenère, Dolcetto (Italy), Montepulciano (Italy), Nebbiolo (Italy), Nielluccio, Saperavi (Georgia), Tannat and Tempranillo (Spain), all harvested between September 12th and 18th. Fermented and macerated for 20 days in stainless steel tanks, aged for 12-15 months in oak barrels ranging from new to 7 years old. 13,5% alcohol, 5,76 g/l acidity and pH 3,56. Total production 104,000 bottles and 4,000 magnums. Decanted for 2 hours, tasted in a Mas de Daumas Gassac 2020-2008 vertical.
Very deep, dark and quite opaque blackish-red color. The nose feels dark-toned and rather youthful with fragrant aromas of crunchy dark berries and ripe blackcurrants, some licorice, light plummy tones, a little bit of asphalt, candied hints of Bassett's black wine gums and fruit jellies, a hint of blueberry and a touch of savory wood spice. The wine feels quite ripe but also surprisingly airy and open-knit on the palate (for a Mas de Daumas Gassac) with a medium body and savory flavors of boysenberries and stony minerality, some fresh blueberry tones, a little bit of ripe blackcurrant, light ferrous notes of blood, a candied hint of marmaladey primary fruit and a touch of sweet plummy fruit. The structure relies mostly on the bright, high acidity; the tannins feel quite ample, but also very ripe and gentle, mainly contributing to the rich texture and only slowly piling up on the gums. The finish feels more ripe and sweeter-toned with some friendly tannic grip and a rather long, intense and quite fruit-driven aftertaste of black cherries and bilberries, some boysenberry tones, a little bit of blueberry, light crunchy notes of blackcurrants, a hint of gravelly minerality and a touch of licorice root.
A balanced, youthful and tasty vintage of Mas de Daumas Gassac that feels a tad light and also perhaps a bit underwhelming if compared to the other vintages of more or less similar age. Structurally the wine doesn't seem to call much aging, as it feels very accessible and approachable already now. However, the overall feel is so youthful that the wine doesn't seem to offer much at the moment. Although this isn't a super impressive vintage, I still feel the wine is quite promising and most likely it will evolve and improve for at least another 10 years - maybe even more. A fine and enjoyable effort, recommended.
(90 points) - 2017 Mas de Daumas Gassac - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert (30.10.2023)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (78%), Cabernet Franc (5%), Merlot (5%), Petit Verdot (4%), Malbec (2%), Nebbiolo (2%), Pinot Noir (2%) and the remaining 2% rounded out by a blend of Abouriou, Carmenère, Dolcetto (Italy), Montepulciano (Italy), Nielluccio, Saperavi (Georgia), Tannat and Tempranillo (Spain). Fermented and macerated for 20 days in stainless steel tanks, aged for 12-15 months in oak barrels ranging from new to 7 years old. 13,5% alcohol, 5,4 g/l acidity and pH 3,54. Total production 81,000 bottles and 3,000 magnums. Decanted for 2 hours, tasted in a Mas de Daumas Gassac 2020-2008 vertical.
Dense, opaque black cherry color with a youthful, purplish core and a pale raspberry-red rim. The nose feels ripe, youthful and sweetly-fruited with fragrant, dark-toned aromas of dark plums and licorice, some ripe black raspberry tones, a little bit of earthy spices and woody notes of pencil shavings, light blueberry and boysenberry tones, a hint of farmhouse funk, a touch of wild strawberry and a faint whiff of green aromatic herbs. The wine feels rich, dense and supple on the palate with a full body and vibrant, quite sweet-toned flavors of juicy black cherries and dark plums, some licorice tones, a little bit of strawberry, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a hint of earth and a faint touch of rustic funk. The overall feel is pretty soft and round, due to the mellow medium-plus acidity and ample yet very ripe and gentle tannins that seem to only contribute to the chewy texture without adding much to the structure. The finish is rich, supple and juicy with a moderately long, dark-toned aftertaste of strawberries and dark plums, some boysenberry tones, a little bit of earth, light blueberry jam nuances, a hint of licorice root and a touch of rustic funk.
In our Gassac vertical, where we progressed from oldest to youngest, we had several wines in which you could taste which wines were from warmer and which were from cooler vintages. However, in this wine you could really see the fingerprint of a hot vintage: although the wine wasn't necessarily bigger or more substantial than the other vintages, the overall style here was softer and sweeter with more emphasis on juicy, dark-toned fruit flavors and less on structure. Previously when I tasted this vintage, I thought it was just the youthful, rich fruit that was masking the structure, but now that I've re-tasted the wine with several similarly aged MdDG wines, it's obvious that this wine is noticeably softer, lower in acidity and has softer tannins. Only the 2018 vintage was even softer, coming across as almost flabby. While this 2017 was a good wine in its own right, I think it isn't necessarily on par with most other Gassac vintages - it's just too soft and solar for my preference.
(89 points) - 2018 Mas de Daumas Gassac - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert (30.10.2023)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (76%), Cabernet Franc (6%), Merlot (5%), Petit Verdot (4%), Pinot Noir (3%), Malbec (2%) and the remaining 4% rounded out by a blend of Abouriou, Carmenère, Dolcetto (Italy), Montepulciano (Italy), Nebbiolo (Italy), Nielluccio, Saperavi (Georgia), Tannat and Tempranillo (Spain), all harvested on 10 days between September 14th and 28th. Fermented and macerated for 20 days in stainless steel tanks, aged for 12-15 months in oak barrels ranging from new to 7 years old. 14% alcohol, 4,7 g/l acidity and pH 3,59. Decanted for 2 hours, tasted in a Mas de Daumas Gassac 2020-2008 vertical.
Youthful and surprisingly translucent garnet color with a pale, pinkish rim. The nose feels very sweet, youthful and even moderately lactic with aromas of boysenberries, some blueberry yogurt tones, a little bit of dark plummy fruit, light primary notes of fruit jellies and raspberry candies, a hint of ripe bilberry, a touch of savory wood spice and a whiff of barnyard funk. The wine feels ripe, round and sweet-toned with a full body and rich flavors of juicy strawberries and soft red plums, some candied primary notes of raspberry jellies and blueberry jam, light lactic notes of blackcurrant-flavored yogurt and creaminess, a little bit of sweet bilberries, a hint of rustic funk and a woody touch of savory oak spice. The modest acidity is a bit on the low side and the ample tannins come across as very ripe, gentle and textural, slowly piling up on the gums. The finish is rich, soft and somewhat warm with gentle tannic grip and a medium-long aftertaste of ripe dark plums, some strawberries, a little bit of blueberry juice, light lactic notes of blackcurrant yogurt, a sweet hint of cherry marmalade and a candied touch of red-toned primary fruit.
Normally Gassac wines tend to be quite firm and structured even in warmer vintages. However, it seems that 2017 and 2018 were exceptions to this rule: this 2018 vintage is super soft, sweet and almost jammy in contrast to the normal style of MdDG. The acidity feels quite insufficient, making the wine feel very soft and borderline flabby. There is not nearly enough freshness or energy and the length of the finish comes across as quite modest as there is not enough acidity to give it necessary intensity and persistence. The tannins are a bit more firm and slightly more grippy than in the 2017 vintage, but they are still very gentle and mellow compared to the often noticeably more tannic style of this label. Otherwise this wine would be perfect for early consumption, but the flavor profile is still heavily dominated by candied primary fruit flavors and some lactic notes that usually call for some years to disappear - I was actually surprised to see the wine this youthful and primary at already 5 years of age! In all likelihood this is not going to be a particularly long-lived vintage for Mas de Daumas Gassac, but I'd give it at least another 5 years, just to make sure those candied primary fruit flavors and lactic notes get enough time to go away.
(87 points) - 2019 Mas de Daumas Gassac - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert (30.10.2023)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (78%), Merlot (4%), Cabernet Franc (3%), Petit Verdot (3%), Pinot Noir (3%), Tannat (3%), Malbec (2%) and the remaining 4% rounded out by a blend of Abouriou, Carmenère, Dolcetto (Italy), Montepulciano (Italy), Nebbiolo (Italy), Nielluccio, Saperavi (Georgia) and Tempranillo (Spain), all harvested on 8 days between September 5th and 21st. Fermented and macerated for 20 days in stainless steel tanks, aged for 12-15 months in oak barrels ranging from new to 7 years old. 14% alcohol, 5,2 g/l acidity and pH 3,46. Decanted for 2,5 hours, tasted in a Mas de Daumas Gassac 2020-2008 vertical.
Youthful, dark and quite translucent black cherry color. The nose feels rich, youthful and sweet-toned with aromas of cherries and blueberries, some strawberry and boysenberry tones, a little bit of licorice, light candied notes of sweet primary fruit, a somewhat dull hint of yeasty bread dough, a crunchy touch of crowberries and a whiff of dusty old wood. The wine feels ripe, youthful and quite sunny on the palate with a full body and juicy flavors of blackberries and boysenberries, some primary blueberry tones, a little bit of strawberry jam, light red licorice notes, a hint of blackcurrant juice and a woody touch of savory oak spice. The medium acidity feels pretty soft, so the structure relies mostly on the firm, moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The alcohol lends a little bit of warmth to the palate. The finish is ripe, juicy and moderately grippy with a rather long aftertaste of boysenberries, some blueberries, light candied primary fruit notes, a little bit of strawberry jam, a hint of red licorice and a crunchy touch of crowberry. The alcohol makes the wine end on a slightly warming note.
This was a super youthful and way too primary vintage of Mas de Daumas Gassac that didn't feel like it was really open for business yet. There was a somewhat dull and not that pleasant streak of yeast - reminiscent of fermenting bread dough - in the nose, the flavor profile was quite dominated by the candied primary fruit flavors and although the tannins weren't tough and aggressive, they showed no sense of resolution yet. I can imagine the wine will show better as it ages and loses these qualities. However, I doubt no amount of aging will help with the relatively low sense of acidity and somewhat prominent alcohol warmth. Although this was an improvement from the soft and flabby 2018 vintage, this still didn't leave a lasting impression - I felt that the 2020 vintage showed much better potential for future development than this one.
(88 points) - 2020 Mas de Daumas Gassac - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert (30.10.2023)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (71%), Syrah (6%), Tannat (5%), Merlot (4%), Cabernet Franc (3%), Petit Verdot (3%), Malbec (2%), Pinot Noir (2%) and the remaining 4% rounded out by a blend of Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, Montepulciano, Tempranillo, Amigne, Arenie (?), Areni Noir, Bastardo, Sousón, Saperavi, Tchkaveri, Tchekavesi (?), Brancellão, Carménère, Abouriou and Plavac Mali, all harvested on 8 days between September 3rd and 21st. Fermented and macerated for at least 20 days in stainless steel tanks, aged for 12-15 months in oak barrels ranging from new to 7 years old. 13,5% alcohol, 5,2 g/l acidity and pH 3.53. Decanted for 2,5 hours, tasted in a Mas de Daumas Gassac 2020-2008 vertical.
Deep, dark and somewhat translucent black cherry color with a youthful blueish hue. The nose feels clean, youthful and vibrant with intense aromas of ripe raspberries, some licorice, light earthy notes, a little bit of fresh red plum, hints of blueberries and blackberries, a smoky touch of phenolic spice and a candied whiff of sweet primary fruit. The wine feels vibrant, focused and somewhat robust on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and intense, ripe flavors of strawberries and raspberry marmalade, some licorice tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, light blackberry tones, youthful hints of candied primary fruit and lactic MLF character and a touch of sweet boysenberry. The overall feel is enjoyably firm and structured, thanks to the rather high acidity and ample, moderately grippy tannins. The finish is rich, youthful and somewhat tannic with an intense, dark-toned aftertaste of juicy boysenberries and dark plums, some licorice tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, light lactic notes of MLF, a marmaladey hint of primary raspberry jelly character and a touch of wild strawberry.
A very youthful, vibrant and quite fruit-forward vintage of Mas de Daumas Gassac that shows both great flavor intensity and impressive sense of structure. The wine is still way too young for its own good as it still retains quite a bit of candied fermentation flavors and a tiny bit of lactic MLF character; however, based on my previous taste 1½ years earlier, the wine is definitely moving in the right direction. As the wine shows good aging potential, I'd say this wine is still some ten years away from its optimal drinking window and most likely the wine won't reach its peak before another 15-20 years. Good stuff - I'd say this is the best vintage of MdDG since the 2016. Expect the score to go up as the wine ages. Solid value at 28€.
(90 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
