From the age of ten, Gérard Bertrand inherited from his father a passion for wine. In fact, Georges Bertrand was a pioneer, a veritable visionary in the Languedoc of the 1970s, where imagination, enthusiasm and a touch of madness were necessary to establish the foundations of a serious vins d'Appellation enterprise in the region. The goal was to teach a method, a know-how as well as a show-how, not to mention a politically sensitive manner of communicating.
All these qualities, linked to his love of the Terroir, enabled Georges Bertrand to federate the Men of the region behind the push for quality. In 1975, he initiated his son Gérard into the grape harvest at the cellars of Villemajou. He would do the same each year for more than ten years. In fact, Gérard would only return to school after the harvest was over. This university of life, of hard work, but also of passion and joy, forged the character of Gérard and enabled him, upon the accidental death of his father in 1987, to take the reigns and to follow the path set before him. Geneviève his mother and Guylaine his sister encouraged him in this pursuit.
Château Laville Bertrou Minervois La Livinière Red
The Château Laville Bertrou comprises 50 hectares of south and south-east facing vineyards on the sloping hillsides of the La Livinière classified region of Minervois. Gerard Bertrand purchased the estate in 1997 from the Bertrou family who had owned the property for approximately 100 years. All the vines range from 20 to 70 years old. Located at the foothills of the Black Mountain and renowned as the best terroir in the appellation, La Livinière is noted for its meagre clay and limestone soil that is covered with gravel, resulting from the breakdown of schist and limestone rock. The cooler temperatures at night due to a higher altitude than most vineyards in the region create more intense aromas in the Syrah grapes.
Grapes are exclusively hand-picked at the end of September. The bunches are immediately placed on a "table de trie" (sorting table) to verify that only the grapes in perfect condition are selected. Yields are 35 hl/hectare.
The Carignan and Syrah grapes are placed whole in the vats for maceration, approximately 15 to 20 days. The Grenache grapes are destemmed and vinified separately in the traditional way for 10 to 15 days. Temperatures are strictly controlled and the final blend is made in January.
In February, the wine is placed in French oak barrels for 10 to 12 months. Unfiltered, the wine is bottled and then further bottle-aged prior to release.
Grapes: 40% Syrah (25 year-old vines); 30% Grenache (50 year-old vines); 30% Carignan (60 year-old vines).
LCBO # 0747808 $19.95
Le Viala Minervois La Livinière
Le Viala is a small terroir of 3 hectares on the south-facing foothills of the Black Mountains, located in the Livinière region of the Minervois appellation. This region is renowned as the finest in the appellation, and was officially declared a Cru in its own right in 1997 with an individual appellation "Minervois La Livinière". At an altitude of 120 m above sea level, Le Viala is one of the highest vineyards in the region; the nights are cooler than lower in the valley and these lower temperatures are necessary for the Syrah grape variety to reach its full aromatic potential. The soil is clay and limestone covered with small pebbles and gravel from the breaking down of shale and limestone rocks. Throughout the year, no chemicals or pesticides or chemicals are used in the vineyards, and all these factors, combined with the old age of the vines, result in extremely low yields: 25 hl/hectare.
The grapes are picked only once they have reached perfect maturity (supple to the touch, the juice runs colored, not clear, and the pips no longer taste bitter), in early October. The whole bunches are placed carefully into "cagettes", very small crates, to keep them in prime condition and avoid any natural crushing.
The Carignan grapes are placed whole in the cement vats and macerated for 15 to 20 days ; the Syrah and Grenache are destemmed and vinified in the traditional way for 25 days.
After malolactic fermentation is completed, the three grape varietals are blended and the wine is placed in 225 liter new French oak barrels for 15 months. New barrels are ordered especially to exactly complement the style and character of each vintage - different types of French oak and the "chauffe" of the wood. The wine is not filtered. After bottling, further bottle-ageing is made before release.
Grapes: 60% Syrah (30 year-old vines); 25% Grenache (50 year-old vines); 15% Carignan (80 year-old vines).
LCBO # 0627117 $17.95
Cuvee Numero 3 Sauvignon
Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc.
LCBO # 41228 $13.40
Cuvee Numero 7 Chardonnay
Grapes: Chardonnay.
LCBO # 41236 $13.40
