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Tardieu-Laurent

The story of Tardieu-Laurent begins with two men, although today it concerns just one. These two men were the Tardieu and Laurent of the title, the latter being none other than Dominique Laurent, renowned Burgundy négociant, who started making waves with the 1993 vintage. Originally a pastry chef, a profession that certainly demands attention to detail, Laurent brought this quality to the fermentations and élevage of his purchased fruit. Within a year or two of his arrival on the Burgundy scene, many had already placed Laurent in the upper tier of Burgundy producers. His wines were marked by natural fermentations using indigenous yeasts, a low application of sulphur and a wood influence that came from his use of 100% thick-staved new French oak barrels, sometimes with wines transferred into another set of new barrels during racking, effectively giving 200% new oak. The end results were widely acclaimed, a justification if one were needed of the veracity of Laurent's techniques; transferable techniques which Laurent was able to bring to the Rhône, in partnership with the second man in the equation, Michel Tardieu.

Michel Tardieu is Provençal by birth, but he has settled in Lourmarin, a village in Luberon, in the southern Rhône Valley, and here he established himself as a négociant-éleveur in partnership with Dominique Laurent. He established his cellars at La Cour de Ferme Auberge la Fenière, and this high-tech construction has seen continued improvement and upgrading over the years. Each year the wines, already in barrel, arrive here where Tardieu, working alone since he and Laurent went their separate ways, oversees the élevage of the wine. In just a few years Michel Tardieu has established a reputation for the fine quality of the wines, which challenge quite convincingly any from the accepted firmament of Rhône négociants.

I first met Michel Tardieu in late 2007, and discovered an affable man, relaxed and happy to show his wines to a gathering of buyers, writers, importers and restaurateurs. Having said that, I had my first experience of his wines several years before that, when I looked at examples of his Costières de Nimes and Minervois as part of a feature looking at the wines of Languedoc. But this more recent meeting shifted my focus, opening my eyes to the wines of the Rhône which dominate the Tardieu-Laurent portfolio and which are Tardieu's true raison d'être, I think. I took advantage of our meeting to explore the Tardieu philosophy.

The Tardieu Philosophy

Tardieu is perhaps the ultimate in minimal intervention, because unlike Dominque in Burgundy he plays no role in the fermentations of the wines that he sells, only taking control of the process once the wines are in barrel. He purchases wine on the basis of quality of the vines, and indeed the vines are the starting point for him. First, inspecting the vineyards of the Rhône Valley, he identifies plots containing old vines (here meaning more than fifty years of age), a strong feature of the Tardieu-Laurent portfolio, and having succeeded in this he will then approach the relevant vigneron to open negotiations. If successful, and the grower agrees to enter into a contract, Tardieu will arrange for his new barrels to be delivered to the vigneron's property. The Syrah wines - Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie and so on - will go into new Tronçais oak, whereas wines based on Grenache will go into one-year old barrels. Once the wine has finished fermentation and is run off into the barrels, they are ready for transfer to the Tardieu-Laurent cellars, usually sometime during the spring following the harvest. In this fashion the Tardieu-Laurent portfolio covers all the major appellations of the Rhône, north and south, and subsequently Tardieu has branched out to take in some areas of Provence and Languedoc as well. Those wines sourced from appropriately old vines are bottled as Vieilles Vignes, but from across all the Rhône Valley there are many high quality wines sourced which may be bottled as Cuvée Tardieu-Laurent or Les Grandes Bastides. In the cellars the wines are racked, but are hand-bottled without fining or filtration. The quantities in question can be very small, sometimes just a handful of casks.

Naturally, when a négociant such as Tardieu releases such a range of wines under his own label, it is inevitable that there will be debate on the source of the fruit, especially when the wines are of such excellent quality. There is some degree of secrecy around this, but over the years some snippets of information have leaked out to inform us. At dinner with Tardieu he revealed that he sourced many vintages of his Cornas from 80-100 year old vines, all of which were the Sérine clone of Syrah (the original Syrah variety, and the most highly regarded) owned by a well known vigneron who subsequently retired at the turn of the century; clearly the clues pointed towards Noel Verset. I did think this a bit of a scoop, as the wines of Verset are clearly sought after, but then I saw in John Livingstone-Learmonth's excellent tome The Wines of the Northern Rhône that the wines have long been known to have been sourced from Verset and also from Robert Michel, and so it appears this information, which no doubt does Tardieu's reputation no harm at all, has escaped before. With the retirement of these two old-timers, Tardieu has established a new association with a young vigneron (name not revealed, obviously) with a granite terroir, and from the 2007 vintage Tardieu-Laurent will again be releasing a Cornas Vieilles Vignes, made from fermented whole berries and aged in 30 hectolitre Tronçais oak barrels for up to 24 months.

Côte-Rôtie is another important element in the portfolio, sourced largely from the Landonne, Chavaroche, Vaillière and Moulin climats, also sometimes Rozier and Côte-Brune. Otherwise there is no firm information on the origin of the fruit, other than the fact the vines are old, typically 50-60 years. As for Hermitage, the fruit for the red wine is generally sourced from at least three producers with vines in Rouméas, Muret, Beaumes, Varognes, Diognières and Greffieux, and on occasion Méal may enter the mix. The white wine is sourced usually from a single producer, using fruit from Beaumes, Murets and Piérrelles, recently also Maison Blanche, and again the vines are old, over 50 years in most vintages. The fruit is 70% Marsanne and 30% Roussanne, and the wine undergoes full malolactic in barrel. Both red and white are aged for up to 24 months before bottling. I could continue for each appellation, almost ad infinitum, but when it comes to it one has to trust to the selection criteria employed by Tardieu - that is his role after all - and we should judge only by tasting the wines for ourselves. If we need any reassurance that the quality of the fruit is sound, perhaps we should extrapolate on the basis of the names of the Côte-Rôtie growers, Verset and Michel. It is likely that the sources are very good indeed.

Tasting the Tardieu Portfolio

My tasting with Tardieu, in late 2007, first looked at a selection of wines across all appellations and many vintages, followed by dinner then looking at vintage pairs, first of the white Hermitage, then the Cornas and finally the red Hermitage. I have summarised all the notes below according to vintage, regardless of the order in which they were tasted. Reflecting on the wines, it is possible to comment on the Tardieu-Laurent style. Certainly the wines have quality, and in view of the élevage I was surprised at how well the oak was integrated, even in the younger wines. They clearly have the fruit and substance to cope, and this shows through on tasting; the wines are rich and packed with sweet fruit, but are not burly or brawny. Some, particularly the lesser appellations, carry a rather savage, feral note but the great appellations of the Rhône, Châteauneuf du Pape, Cornas, Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie all show an admirable purity. There is even an elegance to them, although this is not at all to suggest the wines are light or ethereal. It is more truthful to say they are well poised and yet intense. If I must find an analogy they rather remind me of a male ballerina; there is grace and poise, but underneath it all a strength and substance, and a depth of character which is admirable. Unlike some négoce wines, which can be rather dull, these wines are fine and on occasion quite thrilling. Tardieu puts this down to stringent selection; he uses only the very best fruit, so that there may be success even in the weakest of vintages. Whatever the underlying reasons, these are certainly wines with which I am glad to be acquainted. (29/3/04, updated 22/1/08)

Contact details:
Address: 84160 Lourmarin
Telephone: +33 (0) 4 90 68 80 25
Fax: +33 (0) 4 90 68 22 65
Internet: www.tardieu-laurent.com

Tardieu-Laurent - Tasting Notes

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Tardieu-Laurent St Peray Blanc Vieilles Vignes 2005: This wine has creamy new oak character on the nose, but it has freshness too. This is presented in tandem with some delightful stone fruit aromatics. On the palate it is full, grippy, quiet firm and certainly showing a layer of spicy new oak underneath the smoky fruit flavour. This is slightly superior to the 2004 Côtes du Rhône noted below, alongside which it was tasted. 16.5+/20 (December 2007)

Tardieu-Laurent Châteauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes 2005: This wine has an enticing nose of a pure and vivacious character, with sweet, well defined cherry fruit. On the palate there is extract and balance, as it shows a good grip, a nice acidic backbone, and lots of sweet and creamy fruit. This has plenty of impact, being broad, svelte, ripe and well textured, and it clearly has great potential. Very impressive. 18+/20 (December 2007)

Tardieu-Laurent Côtes du Rhône Blanc Guy Louis 2004: Deep, full and herby nose. It has a ripe character and an open style, showing a lot of fruit. Appealing and fresh, on the palate it posses a full body, backed up by a zip of acidity and great flavour. Notes of fennel and aniseed, oak derived I would think, provide some good interest. This is very good, although I would like to see it integrate a little more I think. 16.5/20 (December 2007)

Tardieu-Laurent Hermitage Blanc 2004: Alcohol 13.5%. Tasted alongside the 2003 at dinner. This has a vibrant nose, with aromas of dense stone fruit, smoke and fennel. It has a richly textured palate, almost creamy, with a direct character. It is broad, full and stylish with good grip and structure, but beautifully rich and packed with flavour. It culminates in a fine, well polished finish. It has an excellent composition for the cellar and yet is very enjoyable now. 18.5+/20 (December 2007)

Tardieu-Laurent Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvée Speciale 2004: This is very different to the 2005 Vieilles Vignes above. It is much less open on the nose, showing some reserved fruit and on the palate a sweet and textured and yet elegant balance. It is full and broad, just as rich as the 2005 but perhaps a little more direction and freshness to it. Some good, gritty cherry fruit on the finish. It is difficult to say which of the two is better. 18+/20 (December 2007)

Tardieu-Laurent Hermitage Blanc 2003: Alcohol 13.5%. Tasted alongside the 2004 at dinner. This wine was clearly less expressive than the 2003 on the nose, although what is there suggests a rounded nature, with a greater oiliness to the wine's character. Indeed on the palate there is a flat broadness to it rather than the firm and appealing direction found in the 2004. It is full, ripe, underneath grippy with some tannin showing. There are some gentle acids which are good for the vintage but overall the wine just doesn't have the depth of the 2004. Good though. 16.5+/20 (December 2007)

Tardieu-Laurent Vin de Pays d'Oc Syrah Les Grand Augustin 2003: A bright colour. It has a rather savage, stony and also animalistic character on the nose, and on the palate a slightly feral quality, with a furry, animalistic edge to the fruit here also. There is an appealing touch of Syrah perfume, and as you would expect with 2003 there is lots of structure to back it all up, although the tannins are ripe and more velvety than I would say is typical of the vintage. Impressive. 15.5+/20 (December 2007)

Tardieu-Laurent Vacqueyras Vieilles Vignes 2003: The nose here is immediately typical of the vintage, showing lots of confit cherry pie fruit character. The palate is full and creamy, with vanilla and cherry flavours, underpinned by a huge pile of tannins as you would expect. But there is also a seam of acidity which is unexpected, giving the wine an impressively fresh feel. The tannins are, however, the dominant feature. 15.5+/20 (December 2007)

Tardieu-Laurent Crozes-Hermitage Vieilles Vignes 2003: This has an attractive feral edge to the fruit on the nose, and a direct, pure yet creamy style on the palate. It is broad, and certainly has a big presence in the mouth, but it also has a firmly delineated style. Underneath it, firm tannins and good acidity. It has an impressive delineation and freshness for the vintage. Very good indeed. 16.5+/20 (December 2007)

Tardieu-Laurent Cornas Vieilles Vignes 2003: Tasted alongside the 2002 Cuvée Tardieu-Laurent at dinner. This is deep, dark and dense, with a fabulous hue. Savage fruit character, matched by a very firm tannic structure on the palate, with a very spicy and peppery edge. Full, grippy and firm, ripe rather roasted fruit nose, with a rather surprising creamy texture through the midpalate, although it is in keeping with the Tardieu-Laurent style I suppose. There are some huge tannins at the end. This is very good. 17+/20 (December 2007)

Tardieu-Laurent Hermitage 2003: Alcohol 14.5%. Tasted alongside the 2002 Cuvée Tardieu-Laurent at dinner. A dense, deep, glossy hue, and an explosive nose, throwing out aromas of smoke, white pepper and rich fruit with a furry edge. Dense and pure, perhaps a touch meaty, but otherwise raw and youthful fruit on the palate. This has a firm tannic backbone and good acidity too, so despite the heat of the vintage the structure seems very appropriate. Overall it has a finely balanced composition, and this could be truly great. 18.5+/20 (December 2007)

Tardieu-Laurent Côtes du Rhône Vieilles Vignes Cuvée Grandes Bastides 2002: This wine shows plenty of dense, concentrated, cassis-rich summer berry fruit on the nose, and the first impressions on the palate include black pepper and cream. This is a full, broad wine with plenty of grip, but nevertheless it has a rather elegant midpalate finishing up at a chocolatey endpoint. Really good style for the appellation here and impressive for the vintage, which was generally a washout in the southern Rhône. 16/20 (December 2007)

Tardieu-Laurent Cornas Coteaux Cuvée Tardieu-Laurent 2002: Tasted alongside the 2003 Vieilles Vignes at dinner. I found this wine to be rather closed on the nose at first, but with a little time it began to release some animalistic, savage fruit. There is great weight and texture on the palate, with finely delineated tannins at the core, with piles of fruit circled around them. Deep, dark, slightly sweet in character, with dense fruit, this cuvée is a remarkable effort for what was a weaker vintage for the appellation. Still room for development in the cellar too. 16.5+/20 (December 2007)

Tardieu-Laurent Hermitage Cuvée Tardieu-Laurent 2002: Alcohol 13%, 100% new oak despite the vintage. Tasted alongside the 2003 at dinner. This is showing some maturity compared to the 2003, and has a rather unique vegetal, weedy, seashell and gravel character on the nose which belies the quality of the vintage I think. Nevertheless it has a surprisingly attractive palate, more creamy and textured than expected, with a good weight, perhaps a touch oily or resinous, although with some good smoky character. A touch reminiscent of the Loire in some respects; the vintage, I suspect. Good. 17+/20 (December 2007)

Tardieu-Laurent Costieres de Nimes 2001: This has a curious, distant, stone and seashell nose, with raspberry fruit in the background. Full, with a sweet, gritty, brown sugar component to the wine. There are grippy tannins, and overall a big, textured, peppery style. It has a lot of charm but overall is a little more rustic than the other entry-level wines from Tardieu-Laurent. 15/20 (December 2007)

Tardieu-Laurent Côtes du Luberon Bastides de Rhodares 2001: This is another wine with a rather furry, musky nose, with a stony element also present. Sweet and reserved fruit, rather simple in character to be honest, with a sweet and crunchy, burnt caramel edge. Underneath it all, though, there are piles of peppery grip and acidity. Overall it has a pleasant style. 15.5/20 (December 2007)

Tardieu-Laurent Côtes du Rhône Guy Louis 2001: A dense presence of fruit here, tinged with a feral element, but very concentrated, very bright and certainly nicely perfumed. Full, dense and creamy on the palate also, with a ripe style, with lots of fruit which is slightly on the sweet side to the fore. Lots of grip and good tannins for a backbone. Very good and the quality of the vintage clearly shines through. 16/20 (December 2007)

Tardieu-Laurent Cornas Vieilles Vignes 2001: This vintage has a remarkably different hue to the 2003 alongside which it was tasted. Whereas that was youthful, this is very mature and evolved in appearance. It is still showing savage fruit character on the nose although with a trace of toffee too. The palate is grippy and firm, with a less flattering texture than the 2003, but a gentle, slightly sweet presence and a caramel-muscovado note. It has a nice composition though and has potential for the future. 17+/20 (December 2007)

Tardieu-Laurent Côte-Rôtie 2001: This is bright and perfumed, with a feral and savage character, but there is some emerging secondary complexity too. Overall though, primary characters and gritty sweetness predominate, with a nice weight, fresh acidity and a good tannic backbone. Quite perfumed in the mouth as well as on the nose. Really grippy and firm on the finish showing that this one needs a little more time yet. Very good, with potential for more. 17+/20 (December 2007)

Tardieu-Laurent Costières de Nimes 2000: Predominantly Syrah, from 25 year old vines. A lovely, deep, purple-black colour. The nose has dark berry fruits, with a burnt, meaty edge, and complex, funky notes. Delicious, opulent baby-fat texture, with low acidity, but a ripe tannic backbone for structure showing particularly well on the finish. More funky flavours, with piles of black cherry and other dark fruits. It's the texture which envelopes the tannin and fruit that impresses most though. What a seductive and yet characterful wine. 16/20 (March 2004) Label

Tardieu-Laurent St Joseph Vieilles Vignes Les Roches 2000: This wine has very furry and feral aromatics, and rather a rustic character. It still has that creaminess so evident across the Tardieu-Laurent range, however, carrying some slightly earthy fruit and a gritty, brown sugar sweetness. Fairly straightforward, but a good style overall. 15.5/20 (December 2007)

Tardieu-Laurent Gigondas Vieilles Vignes 2000: On the nose this wine shows dense and sweet fruit, with a detracted stony edge. It has density, but on the palate it has a fluid, quite seamless, composed and balanced stance. Nevertheless it flatters with a creamy, broad style and a good midpalate depth, carrying flavours of roasted herbs. Underneath there is a spicy, peppery grip and a good acidic backbone. This is impressive. 17.5+/20 (December 2007)

Tardieu-Laurent Minervois Les Causses 1999: As one might expect from Tardieu-Laurent, a dark, almost opaque, deep deep red colour, concentrated up to the rim. Its hue shows a few years of age but nothing premature. Full throttle berry fruit on the nose, mixed with some slightly toasty oak, and after a while some appealing rubbery scents, probably Syrah-derived. Textured, concentrated and yet svelte on entry, with ripe, succulent tannins swimming beneath an unctuous layer of fruit, and low acidity. A soft, opulent finish. Very much in the house style, and a real crowd-pleaser I'm sure. Drink now. 15/20 (June 2004) Label