Gerard Bertrand - One of the Titans of Southern France Wine

Friday, April 23, 2021 - 07:30 PM

This Event has been read: 1722 times.

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“Like a bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape, I’m fine like wine when I start to rap”

Body Movin’ by Beastie Boys

 

 

France has some of the most expensive wines in the world, but they also produce some of the greatest values in the wine world.  Everyone that collects wine knows the regions of Burgundy, Bordeaux, Chateauneuf du Pape and Champgagne but France is the second largest wine producing country on Earth and they have some incredible values in the South of France in the regions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence.

 

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One of the top producers from the South of France is Gerard Bertrand.  We have been trying to put together a wine tasting event with Gerard for over a year, but it is good to see it finally come to fruition and this will be one of the first Wine Watch wine trips as soon as things get back to normal as Gerard is known for throwing the best parties in France and as you know our “Wine Drinking People” at Wine Watch like to party.

Join us as experience over a dozen wines from this incredible portfolio of wines from one of France’s top producers and rumor is that Gerard will be here with us virtually from France.  I know that it’s 2am in the morning in France when we get starter here in fort Lauderdale but as I mentioned earlier Gerard likes to pary…

The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $195 + tax per person, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com

 

The story of Gérard Bertrand, biodynamic winegrower, organic wine...

 

Gerard Bertrand South of France Wine Tasting
Friday, April 23rd
7 :30pm
Gerard Bertrand Ballerine Brut Rose :: Bubbly Dry

 NV Ballerine Brut Etoile Rose
Price : $45.00      Sale $39.60

The delicate pale rosé color is inspired by the sunset as seen from the rooftop of the Paris Opera. The bubble is delicate, frothy and persistent. The nose is generous and complex with subtle aromas of red berries and white flowers. The wine is precise and elegant, the flavors reflect the aromas perceived on the nose in a generous basket of red fruit on a bed of brioche. The finish is very long and rich with soft and creamy notes.

Gérard Bertrand | Domaine de l'Aigle - LIMOUX PDO - IGP HAUTE VALLEE DE  L'AUDE

2018 Gerard Bertrand Domaine de L'Aigle Limoux Chardonnay
Price : $30.00      Sale $26.40

A nice peppery spice to the bouquet green pepper notes to the green melon like fruit very distinct bouquet some of that tree fruit with lovely richness and minerality.  A nice richness to the palate a bit on the under ripe side with that peppery spice lingering through the finish.  Finish 40+       Good +

Gérard Bertrand | Château L'Hospitalet Grand Vin White Wine 2019 - White  Wine

2019 Gerard Bertrand Chateau L'Hospitalet La Clape Blanc Grand Vin
Price : $30.00      Sale $26.40

A blend of Bourboulenc, Roussanne, Vermentino Viognier and this wine has a beautiful nose of white peach, melon and pretty white flowers perfumed but not overly lovely balance.  Smooth and creamy on the tongue with a nice touch of minerality and good length on the finish, nice richness and balanced fresh finish.  Finish 45+        Excellent

Gérard Bertrand | Cigalus Blanc 2018 Magnum - White Wine

 2018 Cigalus Blanc
Price : $45.00      Sale $39.60

(93 Points) The 2018 IGP Pays d'Oc Cigalus Blanc is a barrel-fermented and aged blend of Chardonnay, Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc. Marked by toasty notes on the nose, it adds ripe, honeyed notes of pineapple and peach on the palate. It's full-bodied and round, with a creamy-silky texture, then adds lively citrus zest on the long finish.  Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Orange Gold organic orange wine 2020 - Vin Orange - Gérard Bertrand

2020 Gerard Bertrand Orange Gold France
Price : $27.00      Sale $23.76

A blend of Viognier Chardonnay Muscat Clairette, Marsanne and Mauzac, macerated for 15 days, this wine has a bit of a ginger ale like notes with aromas of stone fruit and wild flowers, very aromatic.  A good amount of fruit here a slight bitter note and some of that perfumed floral character from the nose through the finish.  Finish 35+   Very Good

Gérard Bertrand | Source of Joy 2020 Organic Rosé Wine

2020 Gerard Bertrand Source of Joy Languedoc
Price : $18.50      Sale $16.28

A blend of Grenache Noir, Syrah, Cinsault and Mourvedre and this wine has a beautiful bouquet with fresh strawberry and raspberry fruit, pretty white flowers and wet stone like fruit.  Juicy red berry fruit with tongue tingly minerality here nice bone-dry finish.  Finish 35+          Very Good

Gérard Bertrand | Clos du Temple 2019 - Rosé Wine

2019 Gerard Bertrand Clos du Temple Rose Languedoc Cabrieres
Price : $                157.50   Sale $138.60

A blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Cinsault and Viognier a beautiful bouquet with fresh tree fruit peach and raspberry fruit with pretty floral notes and some chalky mineral notes.  A nice richness on the tongue with a creamy texture and a long finish, tongue tingly mineral highlights and good length and freshness on the finish. Only 3000 bottles produced Finish 45+       Excellent +

Gérard Bertrand | Domaine de l'Aigle Pinot Noir 2019 - Red Wine

2018 Gerard Bertrand Domaine de L'Aigle Pinot Noir Haut Valle de L'Aude
Price : $                30.00     Sale $26.40

A bit spicy here on the nose almost a pickling spice character to the red cherry berry fruit a bit of a smoky character.  A light and easy drinking Pinot Noir with a short finish, peppery spice.  Finish 30+            Good

Gérard Bertrand | Château L'Hospitalet Grand Vin Red 2018 - Red Wine

2018 Gerard Bertrand Chateau L'Hospitalet La Clape Rouge Grand Vin
Price : $49.50      Sale $43.56

A blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre with a fresh berry pie like fruit some bell pepper spice here and notes of lightly toasted oak spice.  Smooth and polished on the tongue with a nice touch of peppery spice and some dry tannins on the finish, nice complexity.  Finish 40+            Very Good

Gerard Bertrand Cigalus Rouge 2018

2018 Gerard Bertrand Cigalus Sud De France
Price : $45.00      Sale $39.60

This is a hybrid grape a combination of Malbec and Grenache with a nice amount of mixed berry pie like fruit, sweet tobacco spice and some pretty floral notes.  Light on the tongue but has a good amount of flavor here with some tannins on the finish, a slight bitter note.  Finish 35+        Good

Gérard Bertrand | La Forge 2002 - Red Wine

2016 Gerard Bertrand La Forge Corbieres Boutenac
Price : $                74.25     Sale $65.34

A blend of Syrah and Carignan and this wine has a beautiful bouquet with toasty oak spice, dark cherry and plum fruit very aromatic with lots of everything here dark earth and some animal character here olive tapenade, black pepper spice.  A big and chewy wine with lots of everything dark berry and plum fruit with dark spices, soy and some dry tannins on the finish but has a good amount of fruit.  Finish 50+           Most Excellent

Gerard Bertrand Clos d'Ora Rouge 2016 | Wine.com

2016 Gerard Bertrand Clos d'Ora Minervois la Liviniere
Price : $267.75   Sale $235.62

A blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre and Carignan this is the vineyard that Gerard Bertrand is lobbying to get elevated to grand cru status.  A very rich bouquet with a soy/umami character cured charcuterie, dark plum and a bit of animal very complex bouquet.  A complex wine and layered on the finish has some dry tannins here at the end but plenty of fruit to match, needs time maybe 7-10 years.  Finish 50+              Most Excellent

 

Menu

Selection of Cheese and Charcuterie
Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with Aged Balsamic and Harpke Farms Micro Greens
Tuna Niçoise Deconstructed
A5 Wagyu Filet Mignon with Blue Cheese Au Gratin Potatoes
Apple Tart with Cinnamon Ice Cream and Carmel Sauce

 

A bit about Gerard Bertrand:

 

 

It was in 1975, in the vines of the Château de Villemajouat the heart of the Corbièresthat Gérard Bertrand harvests its first grapes and discovers its passion for wine.

He will perfect his apprenticeship during twelve years at the side of his father Georges Bertrand.  We are now in the fourth generation of winegrowers, from Paule to Georges, then Gérard Bertrand and finally Emma & Mathias.

Very attached to the values of performance and excellence learned on the rugby fields, Gérard Bertrand continues his quest: to reveal the best terroirs of his region and promote them throughout the world.

It is in this spirit that he took over the family torch at Domaine de Villemajou after the accidental death of his father in 1987. Five years later, he created the Gérard Bertrand wine company in order to develop a range of wines from the South of France.

In the following years, he will buy back the Domaine de Cigalus and the Castle Laville Bertrou.  The new nuggets and the enrichment of the diversity of wines Gérard Bertrand

The acquisition in 2002 of Château l'Hospitaletin the natural park of La ClapeThe location between Narbonne, the Roman city of Narbonne, and the Mediterranean Sea gave Gérard Bertrand a new dimension.

Since then, the beautiful story continues and new nuggets with the emblematic terroirs of Languedoc come to enrich the vision and the diversity of Gérard Bertrand wines: Domaine de l'Aigle, Château la Sauvageonne , Château la Soujeole , Clos d'Ora , Clos du Temple, Karantes Castle Château Aigues-Vives, the winery Cap Insula, Château des 2 Rocs, Château de Tarailhan and Domaine de l'Estagnère.

Convinced very early on that viticulture in harmony with nature is the best way to reveal the typicity of a terroir and to elaborate Great Wines, Gérard Bertrand has been committed since 2002 to the path of biodynamic viticulture at Cigalus. This culture allows to reinforce the balance of the vine and its environment. It reinforces the quality approach he began nearly 30 years ago. Today, within the group, 300 people work there to reveal the Great Wines of this region. A vineyard in excellent health, a preserved environment and magnified wines demonstrate the relevance of the approach.

Some plots have been identified with a unique potential revealing the particular history of the place and the age of an exceptional terroir. They are recognized as Grands Crus of the South of France. The Hospitalitas, La Forge, Le Viala and LAigle Royal' are among the nuggets of the collection with as emblematic symbol: Le Clos d'Ora.

In 2012, the first vintage was vinified in a humble setting on the heights of La Livinière. The Syrah and Carignan grapes come essentially from very old vines. The Mourvèdre and Grenache were planted in 2000.

The Clos D'Orais a wine of memory, very identity. Its message: PEACE, LOVE, HARMONY.  A shared excellence with a quality team, dedicated to this quest and to the achievement of high goals.

Producing great wines requires patience, maturity, a great deal of rigour, but also the sharing of the same vision with one's team. It also takes a good dose of intuition to reveal the soul of the terroir. Mastering the different stages, from harvesting to bottling, through vinification and maturing: not being afraid of the "Thousand and one details" that lead to Excellence.

A key word for the Gérard Bertrand group, which sets trends through singular, gourmet wines and bottles with a sought-after design. The production includes quality wines, organic wines and/or sulphite-free winesor from biodynamic agriculturefor all types of consumers, as illustrated by the following ranges Autrement Naturae, Réserve Spéciale. Innovation also comes in the form of bottles with an innovative design, of great beauty, such as the Côte des Roses range or Perles de sauvignon, signed by the French designer Chantal Thomass.

Being a trendsetter is part of the Gérard Bertrand brand's DNA in order to offer wines and brands capable of meeting the different expectations of consumers around the world.

"Preserving the environment in the long term, restoring harmony and balance to the ecosystems, enhancing the precision of winegrowers' actions, reaching out to future generations: these are today's challenges and these will be tomorrow's obligations. likes to call Gerard Bertrand back.

Today, the Group is continuing its commitment to a sustainable development policy, taking a major step forward by carrying out a carbon balance sheet. This proactive policy responds to the growing expectations of consumers and the global need to reduce the harmful consequences of greenhouse gases on the climate. In addition, Gérard Bertrand is taking part with photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand, founder of the Good Planet Foundation, in the agroforestry project "Objective 10,000 trees" in Languedoc-Roussillon.

The emotion of a drink shared between friends, of communion to the rhythm of music or the discovery of local products. Château l'Hospitalet, the group's headquarters and an exceptional place, is entirely dedicated to theArt de Vivre Mediterranean: a setting for celebrations, dinners and convivial gatherings for wine lovers.

As a true symbol, the Jazz Festival has been welcoming the greatest French and international artists for more than 15 years to set the starry nights of L'Hospitalet ablaze and participate in the development of local culture and tourism.

During 5 days of festivities, the courtyard of the domain offers a unique and intimate setting for concerts welcoming nearly 1400 spectators per evening.

Every Friday, throughout the year, the Jazz bands follow one another for dinner concerts in food, wine and jazz chords. Since its creation, the artists have been selected by Gérard Bertrand in collaboration with Dominique Rieux (Big Band Brass).

In September, the Harvest weekend and the Pruning and Truffle Festival in December are two unmissable events to share moments of great conviviality around wine.

Conviviality is also the Exceptional Experience of a 3* Hotel and Gastronomic Restaurant in the heart of a working wine estate...a journey of discovery of the wonders of the region.