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“Jim, the (2011) Firmament Cuvée Horizon was terrific. Do you have any more?” – Michael R. Marrus, a happy wine club Member.
Every once in a while we run across a wine that is either particularly delicious or an unusually great value. In the case of the 2011 Cuvée Horizon from Les Cuvées du Firmament we have both. Michael Marrus, one of our wine club Members sent us the above message. To affirm his assessment and with our usual sense of self-sacrifice, Hélène and I broached a bottle the other evening and were, as they say in the vernacular, blown away! This 50/50 blend of Cinsault and Carignan from mature vines in the Minervois area of Languedoc-Roussillon is indeed a real stunner.
We just spoke with Franck Léonor, the winery’s owner to see if he has any left. Mercifully, he has ninety bottles that he has set aside for us. Don’t miss this one if you want something very special for the barbeque season. We’ll be taking your orders to the LCBO next Wednesday, April 30th or when all ninety bottles are gone.
2011 Cuvée Horizon – 13.9% Alc./Vol. $16/$96 per six-bottle case
 This wonderful little sipper is made of equal parts Cinsault and Carignan that were hand-picked from vines at least fifteen years old. The bunches were destemmed and the grapes hand-sorted before being gently crushed and entering the fermentation process. The juice rested a year in stainless steel tanks and saw no oak. This Vin de Pays de l’Hérault is a medium ruby colour and offers up tantalizing aromas of ripe red berries, rosemary, a trace of smoke and new leather. It is surprisingly smooth, possessing excellent, pure, fresh fruit and a round structure with very nice, soft tannins. Best of all, it is drinking beautifully now – by itself or with traditional bistro fare. This is a wine that should be kept within easy reaching distance whenever the urge for a glass of satisfying red presents itself. Only 90 bottles are available. Don’t let the price deter you – this is a great wine for the price. Order some of this little treasure for those thirsty moments.
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