Domaine La Casenove - Cuvée Commandant François Jaubert 2010

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

A former press photographer, Étienne Montès took over the family estates, Casenove and Saint-Luc. The La Garrigue and Torrespeyres wines form the core of an accessible lineup. The Commandant-Jaubert wine is produced only when the vintage is suitable. It is named after a sailor—Étienne’s great-great-uncle—who built the estate.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

Formerly a photojournalist with the Gamma agency, Étienne Montes eventually settled in Trouillas to carry on the family estate located in the foothills of the Aspres, southwest of Perpignan. He produces a diverse range of wines with distinct personalities, including this cuvée, which is no stranger to our readers. A pure Syrah named after an ancestor of the estate’s owner. The intense, nearly black color shows a hint of aging in its highlights. The nose is concentrated and smoky, with notes of crushed red berries and licorice—the latter remaining present and intense on the palate. Initially pleasantly supple, the palate then reveals powerful tannins against a rich, full-bodied structure, returning to the smoky aromas on the finish. This wine pairs beautifully with game, such as hare à la royale.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

This sunny, lively expression of a pure Syrah—full of confidence, very dense, with dark, candied notes of tar and resin, and an intimidating alcoholic presence—is intended for lovers of sculptural, massive wines.

About the estate:

Etienne Montès, a former renowned press photographer, has been at the helm of the family estate since the late 1980s. With his in-depth knowledge of his terroirs and their potential, he produces a fine range of IGP Côtes Catalanes wines, ranging from simple, fruit-forward wines to full-bodied cuvées—such as the very famous Commandant Jaubert. The fortified wines (VDN) are very serious in character but sometimes struggle to temper their warmth. The entire range is authentic and of a high standard. Wine lovers will find beautiful, authentic wines here that age very well in the cellar. However, the wines are often overly heavy on alcohol, which detracts from their finesse and leads us to deduct a star from the estate’s rating. A few technical and stylistic adjustments would likely be enough to breathe new life into the style of these wines, whose depth of flavor is undeniable.