Domaine Sergent  Cuvée Vieilles Vignes  2000, A.C. Madiran. **HERITAGE WINE**

Colour: very deep and dark red with a touch of purple.
Nose: expressive, starting to reach the mature state, classic, earthy, a bit phenolic Médoc style, with lots of ripe fruit and spices, there is freshness, depth and beautiful oak, the aromas perfectly complementing and matching the earthy and spicy nuances of the grapes and terroir. A very classy and powerful nose with just an interesting twist of rusticity.
Taste: powerful, medium body, intense, many spicy, earthy fruit nuances along the well integrated oaky impressions, strong and classical tannins, complexity and depth, very well balanced, good length, strong and powerful food-wine.
Finish: quite intense, piquant tannins, earthy and spicy fruit, oak, minerals and a touch of smoke, good clean freshness.

* A classical styled intense and powerful dark red wine, loaded with complex earthy and spicy fruit, rich in strong tannins, good acidity and very well dosed oak, resembling a powerful high quality Médoc with great intensity and an interesting twist of rusticity. Not for the faint hearted, great value for money.

- This wine is now in a very attractive stage and will continue to be so for a few years I guess. Will gain in complexity, with a more spicy and earthy character, also the tannins will become a bit softer, but this wine will never be smooth. The honest and pure character asks for good hearty food. Drink before 2010.

- Domaine de Sergent is a producer of mainly black Madirans but is also quite successful with their dry and sweet (white) Pacherenc du Vic Bilh. This is the prestige Madiran, made from old vines from the best parts of the vineyards. A well crafted wine in which the interesting fruit of the Tannat grape is emphasized and the wood is supportive. The rustic tannins of this grape are kept in check.  Made of ca. 90% Tannat and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged in barriques during 12 months. Compared with other Madirans, the wines of Dom. Sergent all have lots of character, good balance and beautiful fruit. They are in a sense rustic, that is to say they express the terroir and grapes, but they are a far cry from the old fashioned super tough and nearly undrinkable muddy Madirans. Clear and clean fruit are the core of these wines as are the strong and spicy tannins.  An unknown producer: serious, modest and kind people, working hard to produce very good to excellent wines. A most underrated producer, very highly recommended.
 

- lotnr.: L 2.1

- tasted: 13-10-’04  several occasions after that (into jan. '05) consistent notes.

- estimated retail price ca. 9,50 euro per bottle

- average production: ca. 15.000 bottles

- Domaine Sergent, Famille Dousseau, 32400 Maumusson, France, Tel.: + 33-562 69 74 93 ; Fax.: + 33 562 69 75 85 ; e-mail: b.dousseau@32.sideral.fr