Domaine Cabirau, 'Serge & Marie', Maury Sec, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, 2021 (TOP VALUE)

This wine smells like SCHIST :) - This is so authentic and a screaming deal.

Overview of the Wine
Domaine Cabirau is a Roussillon (French Catalonia) vineyard, owned by importer Dan Kravitz. When Kravitz started out (1980-2007), he imported and sold OPW (other people’s wine). In 2007 he purchased 13.5 acres of Grenache vineyards in Roussillon, the French part of Catalonia. The vineyard is twenty miles inland from the Mediterranean and twenty miles north of Spain. Ten acres were 20 years old, the rest sixty. The name “Cabirau” has been on the plat map for 100 years. The vines were planted on steep slopes of schist, dark sharp rock that gives a distinctive mineral character to Grenache, different from the earthiness of Cotes du Rhone planted on flat vineyards of smooth white river stones.

By 2018 he had accumulated twenty-three acres (15.2 Grenache, 1.5 Syrah, 3.6 Carignan, 2.4 Macabeu) in the village of Maury, previously known for dessert wines. The first bottlings were IGP Grenache. Today the basic bottling is Roussillon, a blend of 70% Grenache, with Syrah and Carignan. The flagship wine uses the new Appellation “Maury Sec.” Based on old vine Grenache, it also incorporates Syrah and Carignan.

In 2008 Kravitz became the first American member of La Tautavelloise, a progressive Cooperative in a village adjoining Maury. The next year the two Cooperatives of Tautavel merged with one in Vingrau to form VTV (Les Vignerons de Tautavel Vingrau). Dan’s Cabirau has become the ambassador for the quality-obsessed team at VTV, with sales throughout Europe as well as the U.S., and soon (knock on wood) Asia.

Kravitz maintains a library of all of the wines produced by Cabirau (it’s time to drink up the basic ’07), and small quantities of the older bottlings remain available. Cabirau wines have been well received both by the market and the press and Kravitz has been achieving the goal of operating a sustainable vineyard in one of France’s best and best value Appellations.

Winemaker
Nicolas Burger

Grape/ Blend
68% Grenache, 32% Carignan

Origin
Languedoc-Roussillon, France

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
This full-bodied stunner is loaded with rich fruit flavors and baking spices which seduce the palate and is definitely a crowd pleaser.

93 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
Always a brilliant value as well as a terrific wine, the 2021 Maury Sec Serge & Marie is based largely on Grenache yet includes one-third Carignan. Black cherries, darker raspberries, dried violets, loamy earth, pepper, and sandalwood all emerge on the nose, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a seamless, elegant mouthfeel, soft tannins, and a great finish. This cuvée always shows the perfumed, riper style of Maury yet never comes across as heavy or cumbersome, and if anything, this 2021 could easily be mistaken for a beautiful Pinot Noir. It's perfect for enjoying any time over the coming 7-8 years. 93 points. 

Product size: 750ml