Domaine de Chamans sits in the south-facing foothills of the Montagne Noire in the Minervois appellation of southwestern France surrounded by garrigue and woodland. Its isolation from any surrounding vineyards allows for the domaine’s non-interventionist farming philosophy to have a maximum impact on their vines. The soil, composed of limestone, clay and schist, is worked and treated with organic matter to ensure the land has balance and energy. The advantage of clay is that it retains moisture. Somewhat essential when you experience the baking summer sun of the Languedoc. The predominating Le Cers wind also assists in drying the moisture off the vines reducing the number of treatments needed to prevent disease. A small flock of sheep help keep the weeds down between the vines and provide natural fertilizer when mixed with other organic matter. And yes, there is a black sheep. Yields here are kept to around 25 hl/ha, well below what the appellation allows. All of the fruit is hand-harvested, before being vinified separately, varietal by varietal. Fermentation begins with yeasts that are native and natural to the vineyard, and malo-lactic fermentation takes place in new wooden foudres of 600 litres. The Hegarty Minervois No 2 is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Carignan, and was aged for one year before being bottled un-fined and un-filtered. And the proof, as they say, is in the pudding. Aromas redolent of ripe fruit, say crushed ripe blue berries and bramble, currants and baking spices; rich and ripe and mouthfilling; way concentrated in flavor; warm and robust and long and oh geez this stuff is just delicious...

A special, wooded 50:50 cuvee of Mourvedre and Syrah first made in 2003 in collaboration with the importer, the 2005 Costieres de Nimes Les Enfants Terribles unites sweet plum and blueberry preserves with classic blood-in-a-bottle raw meat Mourvedre character for an unforgettable aromatic juxtaposition. Thyme and rosemary, cocoa powder and vanilla mingle with the wine’s persistently jammy fruit and raw bloodiness. For all of its sheer sweetly-ripe fruit impression, this amazing value retains a clarity and brightness of fruit that keep it from becoming cloying, and the energy to power a flamboyant finish. Bravo! Rated 91. ‑ David Schildknecht, Robert M. Parker, Jr.'s The Wine Advocate Issue 173 October 2007