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When it comes to wine, there are certain wines or wineries I have a bit of a love affair with. One of those wineries are Domaine Maby located in the Rhône region of Southern France.
My love affair with Domaine Maby started years ago when their wines were first thrust upon me by my wine guy who just happens to be the Danish importer of Domaine Maby. I consider current owner Richard Maby a master of fruit and concentration and have enjoyed many of the wines I’ve had the pleasure of tasting, but probably none more so than their red La Fermade from the Lirac appellation in the southern Rhône valley.
I’ve had the pleasure of sampling a few vintages of La Fermade now, my favorite of which has been the 2010 vintage which I still hold to be a knockout wine – and a monster of a wine which needs lots of air and food to go along if it is to be enjoyed now. It could probably do with a few more years in the cellar. Luckily, though, I still have half a case in the cellar and I plan to keep it there for a while. I think it’s great fun to buy a case or two of a wine and taste it over several years, following it and experiencing it mature. Only to hopefully have finished the case before it goes downhill quickly.
But I digress, the 2010 is a wonderful wine and a big, powerful wine, so it was with a lot of excitement and a tiny hint of nervousness that I got hold of a case of the 2011 vintage and carefully uncorked the first bottle..
And wow what a change. Where the 2010 is still young, slightly harsh and seemingly unpolished, the 2010 is perfectly ripe, soft, mature and ready for drinking. It’s full of ripe dark fruit, spice, lots of pepper and has a long, lingering finish that doesn’t seem to want to quit before you’ve had another sip.. Which won’t be long, anyway, since it’s just that damn quaffable. It will never have the character and the long life that lies ahead of it’s big brother from 2010 which, in my mind, should continue to improve for at least another five years. But it’s so damn drinkable right now that I won’t mind drinking it for the next few years while I wait for the 2010 to mature a little.
The only problem seems to be that I can’t keep the bottles for long enough, between a few taste tests and a dinner for friends, I seem to be fresh out.
Domaine Maby 2011 Lirac La Fermade Rouge
Score 89 / 100
Drink: 2013 – 2016
Get it: Vestergaardwines.dk
