Noble wines. Elegantly crafted.
The Haute Vallée Limoux may be close to the wilds of the mighty Pyrénées but the cooler climate and limestone rich soils are the perfect host to classic noble varietals. With a tip of a hat to our Burgundian cousins, we craft fresh, elegant and complex wines.
We have two levels in the Montsablé range; our successful Monstablé foundation pair and a NEW Réserve level launched mid-2022.
Our Chardonnay is harvested from cooler vineyards in the Haute Vallée of Limoux. Altitude, climate and limestone rich soils combine to produce outstanding fruit, with which we create wines of elegance and freshness.
The slower ripening grapes benefit from a period of cold skin contact and maceration. Pressing of the grapes with separation of free-run juice from pressed must. Cold static must settling. Temperature controlled fermentation at 17-18°C.
The wine is left on its lees to add complexity of flavour, texture and weight whilst retaining a crisp, refreshing, ripe fruit finish. 20% of the wine is aged in French wood for 3 months.
Current vintage:
2022
ABV: 12.5%
Montsablé Chardonnay - Presenter .PDF
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Montsablé Chardonnay - Front label
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Montsablé range - Logo
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"Rich, creamy, smooth-textured wine with hedgerow, oyster shell/saline, green apple, ginger, vanilla and nutty yeast lees flavours. Gentle acidity breathes life and energy into the wine."
92/100 Points - Bob Campbell MW
www.therealreview.com
Montsablé Chardonnay 2022
Haute Vallée de L'Aude IGP
“Yellow straw in colour, this is a soft, fresh, bright and energetic style of Chardonnay, which should prove to be a crowd-pleaser. Notes of melons and citrus, with even a hint of mango emerging on the palate. And yet it remains all rather refined. The wine is of medium length with a flick of acidity. A thoroughly enjoyable Chardy for drinking over the next couple of years."
90/100 Points - Sam Kim, Wine Orbit
www.wineorbit.co.nz
"'An attractively styled modern rendition, showing white flesh nectarine, lemon pith and roasted cashew characters with a hint of popcorn. It’s smooth and supple on the palate displaying ripe fruit flavours together with creamy texture backed by just the right amount of citrus tang, finishing long and silky. Elegant and enticing."
93/100 Points - Sam Kim, Wine Orbit
www.wineorbit.co.nz
Our Pinot Noir is harvested from cooler vineyards in the Haute Vallée of Limoux. Altitude, climate and limestone rich soils combine to produce outstanding fruit, with which we create wines of elegance and freshness.
The grapes slowly ripen in the cooler vineyards and offer a good level of natural acidity. Burgundian influenced methods are used for the vinification with a gentle extraction by punch-down of the cap. Low temperature vatting (24°C) to preserve the fragile and subtle notes of the Pinot Noir. Maturation in stainless steel vats on fine lees with 10% aged for 3 months in new French Oak.
Vintage: 2022
ABV: 13%
Montsablé Pinot Noir - Presenter .PDF
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Montsablé Pinot Noir - Front label
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“Supple, elegant wine with good varietal definition. Appealing purity with cherry, strawberry and fresh herb flavours enhanced with a subtle seasoning of spicy oak. Light, fresh and deliciously drinkable."
91 Points
Bob Campbell, The Real Review www.therealreview.com
“Nice to see a Pinot from France, from outside Burgundy. An appealing garnet hue. The nose gives us notes of coffee grinds, warm earth, sour cherries and raspberries. An attractive array of flavours which blend together well. All neatly balanced. Good grip and medium length here. Hints of undergrowth,
especially towards the finish."
91 Points
Sam Kim www.wineorbit.co.nz
Montsablé Réserve represents the pinnacle of site selection within the Haute Vallée de l’Aude, the coolest of all the Mediterranean regions of France due to altitude and influence of the cool Atlantic wind, the Vent Cers. Altitude, climate and limestone rich soils combine to produce outstanding fruit, with which we create wines of elegance and freshness.
The specific Haute Vallée sites are perfect for Chardonnay due to slower ripening and better levels of acidity. The vines are 20-30 years old and grow on Argilo Calcaires soils.
The wine is left on its lees to add complexity of flavour, texture and weight whilst retaining refreshing ripe fruit character. Critically, 30% of the wine is aged in French wood for 6 months adding further creamy complexity.
The floral aromas and white peach flavours are complemented by vanilla, toasty notes, a lovely creamy texture and mineral tones through to a classy finish.
Current vintage:
2021
ABV: 13.0%
Montsablé Réserve Chardonnay - Presenter .PDF
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Montsablé Chardonnay - Front label
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“Elegant, silken-textured wine that reminds me of Chablis but with softer acidity. Saline/oyster shell, grapefruit, vanilla, and nicely integrated spicy oak. Good concentration. Accessible now but no rush."
94 Points
Bob Campbell MW www.therealreview.com
“The wind known as the Vent Cers, together with the altitude, contributes to this
region in the Mediterranean, the Haute Vallee de l’Aude, being the coolest in the
district. 30% of the wine spends six months in French oak to improve its complexity. Deep straw. There is a degree or two more intensity to be found here and a hint of oak influence. There are notes of melons, cashews, orange rind and stonefruit. A lovely sweet core of orange and peaches. It is well structured with a lingering finish."
92 Points
Sam Kim www.wineorbit.co.nz
Montsablé Réserve represents the pinnacle of site selection within the Haute Vallée de l’Aude, the coolest of all the Mediterranean regions of France due to altitude and influence of the cool Atlantic wind, the Vent Cers. Altitude, climate and limestone rich soils combine to produce outstanding fruit, with which we create wines of elegance and freshness.
Burgundian methods are used for the vinification with a gentle extraction by punch-down of the cap. Low temperature vatting (24°C) to preserve the fragile and subtle notes of the Pinot Noir. The wine is barrel aged in a selection of barrels (aged for 6 months in French new oak, 1, 2 and 3 yr old) before blending to produce a Pinot Noir of class, texture and weight.
Aromas of dark cherry and blackberry plus a rich, round palate of red berry fruit are complemented by toasty, vanilla notes that bring a touch of spice to the finish.
Vintage: 2021
ABV: 13%
Montsablé Réserve Pinot Noir - Presenter .PDF
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Montsablé Pinot Noir - Front label
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"The Reserve selection sees the best of the fruit selected for time in a mix of new and older French oak for six months. The colour is a pleasing maroon/garnet. The nose is impressive, beautifully fragrant. We have notes of spices, cherries, dry herbs, smoked meats and hints of vanilla and cinnamon. Medium length with silky tannins. The oak is integrating very well here."
92/100 Points - Sam Kim, Wine Orbit
www.wineorbit.com.nz
"Deep dark red with a good purple tinge, the bouquet reserved but rich, deep, robust, ripely plummy and not really pinoty/fragrant. A touch of earthy/ironstone character. The palate is tense and firm with abundant tannins and a gritty texture. More weight than the regular bottling.."
SILVER RIBBON - 90/100 Points - Huon Hooke
www.therealreview.com