2009 Hegarty Chamans, No.2, Minervois, France (£12.99, Adnams tel. 020 7580 2443 & 01502 727272). I met up with Sir John Hegarty, Philippa Crane and their winemaker, Samuel Berger, the other day and I was transfixed as they poured their latest range of wines for me to savour. 2008 Les Chamans Blanc, a heady Roussanne Marsanne blend, was kaleidoscopic, changing incrementally over a two hour period and holding us in its aura throughout. 2004 White Knight, a Marsanne-dominant sweetie was suitably lusty and confessional. 2005 No.1, the mighty Syrah/Carignan cuvée, was typically brooding with haunting bark, camphor and game notes. The star of the show, however, was the least expensive member of the line up, 2009 No.2 – a mystical Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cinsault blend. This fragrant, elemental, resonant wine is the embodiment of the biodynamic regime at the property. Alive in the glass, this swirling vortex of magical fruit notes and forest scents never lets you rest. Once decanted, the aromas come into their own, never pausing and constantly evolving. John and Philippa have achieved their aim of transposing the subtlety of their soils and integrity of their vines into the glass. Future vintages will no doubt astound us all. Make sure that you have a look at the Adnams website for the full range of Hegarty Chamans wines.
