Domaine des Homs 2004, V.d.P. des Coteaux de Peyriac. **HERITAGE WINE**

Colour: very dark red with purple.
Nose:  young, expressive, with an impressive range of intense, ripe, black fruits (cherries), minerals, a touch of spice (black pepper) some complexity and good depth, also some elegant freshness, an impressively natural purity, both delicious and approachable, with at the same time an attractive regional character (by no means rustic!).
Taste: medium bodied, quite intense, with fresh and strong tannins, perfectly balanced by an intense core of the most pure and natural black fruits imaginable, also a whiff of black pepper, a touch of alcohol, excellent balance. Perfect wine with elegance, character and great purity.
Finish: still young with firm, spicy tannins, powerful, intense, quite long for a Vin de Pays, with beautiful fruit and a strong, mineral freshness, ripeness and elegance.

* Strikingly fresh wine, elegant, intense, compact and full of character, loaded with the most pure and beautiful black fruit and a touch of black pepper, excellent balance, some depth and refinement, impressively natural and clean, exceptional for a Vin de Pays. Do not look for richness, wood or sexy, soft fruit, but enjoy its great fruit expression of its beautiful terroir.

- It has just started to show well, will improve during 2006 with more fruit, les tannins, but it will keep its strong character. Keep until 2008. The fruit is so delicious there is no need for keeping it so long.
 

- Like the same wine of this producer from 2003 it shows how good a wine from a modest provenance can get. The young en enthusiastic producer Jean-Marc de Crozals has apparently found the style to maximize the quality of the grapes and the terroir of his vineyards. The 2004 is less round and a bit more reserved as the 2003, has also some more tannins and even more freshness, but has the same signature of purity and natural exceptional fruit. The secret of this beautiful fruit, minerals and intensity lies in the very old Carignan vines that provide the fruit for this wine. Via maceration carbonique this grape offers exceptional fruit without too harsh tannins. The Syrah (minority in the blend) is fermented in the traditional way and gives some flesh, extra structure and soft fruit.
This Vin de Pays easily sweeps away many of the competition with more prestigious A.O.C.'s  His Minervois is in the same style but is even more distinguished and has greater potential. A modern but highly skilled and passionate expression of this very fine terroir, an outstanding example how to construct a wine with powerful tannins, great intensity and ripeness next to a lively freshness and exemplary purity of fruit. No heaviness or over extraction, no forced or over processed fruit, no make-up from sexy and obvious wood, just fruit in its most pure and natural form. The style in which French wines can excel and distinguish themselves from wines from any other country.

- lotnr.: L 5110

- tasted: 18-12-'05

- estimated retail price ca. 6 euro

- production: ca. 10.000 bottles (potentially 20.000)

- Domaine des Homs, Mr. Jean-Marc de Crozals, 11160 Rieux - Minervois, tel.: + 33-468 781051 / mobile: + 33-609749492 / fax.: + 33-468 781051 / e-mail: jm.decrozals@free.fr / web site: www.domainedeshoms.com