Terre Inconnue

A generous wine-loving friend recently donated a couple bottles of Domaine Terre Inconnue to get me out of a wine rut. I wasted no time in opening them on back-to-back evenings for a comprehensive look at this controversial estate!

Domaine Terre Inconnue

This cult Languedoc estate, run by former chemist Robert Creus, produces wines at Saint Series, just 30 minutes northeast of Montpellier. Despite the great care, low yields and relatively high price tag, they are released as simple Vin de Table, mainly because Robert can’t be bothered dealing with the AOC process. needless to say, he is quite the controversial character, and  as I discovered from tasting the two cuvées Guilhem and Léonie, the wines can be a bit extreme as well!

Guilhem 2009: uncharted territory

The name of the estate, “Terre Inconnue”, literally means -unknown land-, and there is definitely a sense of adventure and exploration in these wines. The cuvée Guilhem is a blend of Grenache, Carigan and Mourvèdre (with a touch of Merlot), and this 2009 was an absolute stunner! After the first whiff of pure alcohol (15%/vol!!!), ripe fruit and licorice eventually emerge on the nose, while the wine could almost be chewed with a concentration and tannic structure which belongs on the plate rather than the glass!

Unfortunately, I made the mistake of serving this with a barbecued magret de canard, which had previously worked well with a fruit bomb Saint-Chinian, but the Guilhelm was in another league. The fruit here takes back seat to the ultra-powerful frame. The beauty of this wine is that the tannins support the monstrous density of this liquid steak without ever getting aggressive. It’s definitely a punch in the face, but the kind that almost feels good. In the end, I finished the bottle without looking back! Impressive!

Léonie 2005 : Evolution

The Léonie however, was quite different. With “only” 14%/vol. alcohol, this 100% Carignan was more contained. This was largely due to the extra time in bottle, and the 2005 was already quite evolved for its age, showing earthy, tertiary aromas over a core of macerated fruit (griotte cherries). Here, it is the pronounced acidity which kept the wine together, and this bottle was more Jekyll than Hyde, though the southern character never quite lost its charm. An interesting counter point to the previous evening’s experience!

Overall, my impression is that this estate makes rather extreme reds which are probably best enjoyed in their youth. These chewy, powerhouse wines are quite seriously crafted, yet they have enough character to turn heads. Definitely not for everyone (or every occasion), but I very much enjoyed them! Thanks again Alex!!