Country: France  Region: Languedoc  Vintage: 2012 Category: Red Wine  Color:  Red Producer: Boulevard Napoléon "Trevor Gulliver is a man of enthusiasms. The Fire Station in Waterloo, St. John and St. John Bread and Wine, Putney Bridge and many other restaurants have borne the imprint of Trevor's energy. A house in the Minervois was meant to be a place to recharge his energy but, true to the man, he saw an opportunity to make some wines. These wines are named after the street on which their winery is situated in the village of La Livinière.When Trevor came to show us the wines in autumn 2013, we were worried we were going to have to tell an old mate that we didn't have room in our portfolio. However when we tasted the wines, we were quite certain we had the room! Their brightness, ripeness, definition and character, largely due to the fact that they are from old vineyards in the Minervois, made them both true to type and very appealing.The Grenache Gris, made from a single vineyard of 70 year old vines, is one of the best white wines we've tasted from the Languedoc. It is rich and supple on the palate with a lovely texture, smoke and liquorice on the finish. The Grenache Noir, blended with 5% Cinsault that is planted in the same 70 year old vineyard in the Minervois, has a lovely colour and perfume. The Carignan, which includes 5% Syrah, is equally impressive. It illustrates what an underrated variety Carignan is when planted in the right spot and handled with care. It has good colour, a ripe and spicy nose and bright fruit and a supple texture on the palate. Their fourth wine, a blend of 70% Cabernet Franc and 30% Syrah, shows that they are willing to work with non-native varieties if the quality is right. The intensity of Cabernet Franc, which ripens wonderfully in the warm Minervois climate, has a tobacco character on the nose that is leavened by the brambley Syrah fruit on the palate. It is an inspired blend and, like all these wines, a great drink." Winemaker: Benjamin Darnault Vineyards: Fruit is sourced exclusively from vineyards situated in the high hills of La Livinière, in the Minervois region. Here, soils are predominantly limestone and clay with the age of vines averaging 70 years. The wines show brightness, ripeness, definition and character - elements which can be largely attributed to these older vines. Vinification: The grapes were hand picked into small cases, before being sorted and destemmed. The juice was then transferred into 4000 litre tanks, where it underwent a gentle extraction for a period of days. Three weeks of maceration followed. The free run juice was then separated from the pressings, after which point 20% of the finished blend was transferred to two to three year old demi-muids (600 litre oak barrels) for 12 months of maturation. The remainder underwent maturation in a neutral, stainless steel vessel. Tasting Notes: Deep ruby in appearance, with distinctive colour and perfumed aromatics. This wine is alluring on the nose, with its time spent on skins and portion of oak ageing providing a rounded and balanced structure with a full body. Tank ageing for the majority of the blend ensures that freshness is maintained, resulting in lingering fruit flavours. Food Suggestion: An exemplary match for braises and stews. Try long slow cooked pork or lamb, with rich, wine based sauces, or classic French bistro dishes such as rabbit. Closure: Stelvin  ABV:14.5%  Acidity [g/l]: 4.83 Classification: IGP