As my latest trip with Emirates involved a leg flying from Dubai to Brisbane, I used some of my airpoints to upgrade to Premium Economy for the 13 hour flight. This was a chance to review the wine selection in Premium Economy. The second of these wines was Gerard Bertrand’s Cigalus Blanc Vin de Pays d’Oc 2023 – a rich, aromatic, dry white. I wasn’t sure of the blend and had to make an educated guess see how close I came!…
N.B. Apologies for the noisy child in the background at points in the video – I guess it was a long flight.
Gerard Bertrand Is a highly regarded French winemaker and former professional rugby player initially for Narbonne and who captained State Francais in Paris. Following the untimely death of his father, Georges, in a car crash in 1987, Gerard took over the business – aged just 22. For several years he combined his rugby career with that of winemaker. Retiring from rugby in 1994, he built his family’s Domaine de Villemajou into what is now a leading Languedoc-Roussillon wine group.
Bertrand has been at the forefront of a change in this region from making cheap high-volume wines to a more quality-focused approach, focusing on using biodynamic and organic methods. He has been a pioneer in biodynamic viticulture in the Langedoc region. He has been very successful and now owns 17 estates. Today Gerard is joined in the business by his children but beyond that he wants to hand down a better planet.
In 1995 Bertrand acquired Domaine de Cigalus, a 75-hectare estate located north-east of Narbonne in the Languedoc-Corbières region. The estate produces both red and white wines. The estate became Bertrand’s family home an has been the focus of his commitment to biodynamic viticulture when he began experimenting with Biodynamics in 2002. The timing of operations in the vineyard (pruning, ploughing, etc.) and the cellar are governed by a calendar based on the moon and sun. The estate is certified organic by AB and became fully Demeter-certified as biodynamic in 2010. Domaine de Cigalus is one of the first and most significant biodynamic estates in southern France.
To find out more about this wine, its price and where to purchase it follow this link to the Wine-Searcher website: https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/gerard+bertrand+cigalus+blanc+igp+aude+haut+rive+de+pays+france/2023?referring_site=DCA
▶️ CHAPTERS:
0:00 Gerard Bertrand Cigalus Blanc Vin de Pays d’Oc 2023 wine label
0:10 Introducing a tasting made on a plane – flying Emirates Premium Economy
0:24 Introducing Gerard Bertrand Cigalus Blanc Vin de Pays d’Oc 2023
0:34 Background to Gerard Bertrand and his rugby career
0:49 Takes over Domaine de Villemajou aged just 22, when his father dies
1:07 Retires from Rugby in 1994
1:25 At the forefront of increasing quality in the region
1:45 Focuses on farming organically, sustainably and biodynamically
1:55 Bertrand is a pioneer of biodynamics in the Languedoc
2:05 Chateau Hospitalet in La Clape is one of the 17 estates he now owns in the region
2:15 Gerard’s son and daughter are part of the business
2:25 Acquired Domaine de Cigalus in 1995
2:35 It was here Gerard started experimenting with biodynamics in 2002
2:45 The domain is fully certified by Demeter in 2010
2:56 Climate
3:20 Soil types
3:34 Planting density and low yeilds
3:44 Organic certification
3:54 The idea of biodynamics
4:04 Vineyard and winery operations are governed by the biodynamic calendar
4:18 Top-quality clones planted
4:29 Training ensures maximum sunlight inception
4:41 Harvest dates determined by regular testing
4:54 Blend
5:10 WINEMAKING – Hand-picked, gently pressed in a pneumatic press and settled
5:23 70% barrel-fermented in new French oak
5:33 Remaining portion ferments in temperature-controlled tanks
5:43 The wine undergoes malolactic conversion
5:53 Lees stirred as the wine ages 7-8 months in barrel
6:12 Wine-Searcher aggregated critic’s score
6:25 Flying Dubai-Brisbane in Emirates Premium Economy
6:52 Introducing Gerard Bertrand Cigalus Blanc Vin de Pays d’Oc 2023
7:04 Background of Gerard Bertrand
7:29 Fermented in oak
7:39 Not told the varieties so will try work that out from tasting
7:49 Organic and certified as biodynamic
8:19 TASTING – Appearance
8:55 Tasting from a real glass in Premium Economy
9:05 My views on stemless glasses
9:24 Aromas
10:09 Likely varieties in the blend
10:49 Palate
11:50 Ability to age
12:03 Conclusions
12:15 Score
12:25 How are Emirates doing with their wine selections?
12:35 Thanks, closing remarks and sign-off
▶️Follow this link to view my tasting of Gerard Bertrand’s Chateau L’ Hospitalet 2019 from the Wine Voices channel (formerly Wine-Searcher): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deWYrQAV9kg&t=289s
#winetasting #winelover #winelovers #dcamw #masterofwine #paysdoc #languedoc #vinpaysdoc #gerardbertrand #domainedecigalus #whitewine #tastingwhitewine #tastingfrenchwines #tastinglanguedocwines #emirates #premiumeconomy #emiratespremiumeconomy
#airbusa380 #winetravel
1 Comment
How Special. Thank you.