Other plucked-from tasties made in well-known winemaking regions around the world: 2008 El Coto de Rioja Crianza Rioja Spain ($12-$13 cherry-berry licorice note juicy finish) 2011 Hugel et Fils Gentil Alsace France ($13-$15 just-ripe pear soft acidity) 2011 Cline Zinfandel California ($10-$12 herbed dark fruit soft and smooth) 2010 Paul Mas Merlot La Forge Languedoc France ($10-$12 as complex and delicious as a "Right Bank" chateau red from far less expensive a district) 2011 Navarro Lopez Garnacha GranRojo Castile Spain ($11 gorgeous aromas of red fruits and earth great clipped finish) 2010 Calcu Cabernet France Colchagua Chile ($14 dark berry fruit hinting at cocoa and mocha smooth and lengthy) and 2011 Alamos Cabernet Sauvignon Mendoza Argentina ($10-$13: dark currant, mineral, moderately tannic 100 percent cabernet at this price?). On the other hand, a traditionally "dear" sauvignon blanc producer, New Zealand, can also come up with the delicious 2012 Starborough Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough New Zealand ($13-$15) and its full-on citrus and grapefruit character. 10 Price estimate statistics 2015 Languedoc Domaine de Magellan Magellan 2014. 8 Price estimate statistics 2016 IGP Pays d'Hrault Domaine de Magellan Le Grenache 2015. VINIFICATION: Défendu Rouge comes from a part. The vines come from field selections conducted in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape region at the start of the 1960s. VINEYARD: 6 hectares of old Cinsault vines on beautiful sandstone sites. 10 Price estimate statistics 2017 IGP Pays d'Hrault Domaine de Magellan Le Fruit Dfendu 2016. Tech Sheet (Unavailable) Shelftalker (Unavailable) Varietals. Since the two have rebuilt the winery and now manage 104 acres planted to 13 different varieties, including the Tempranillo grape of Spain.More and more, I see terrific value coming from careful selections of big-name or big-production winemakers or regions, especially those we've come to think of as traditionally "good value." For example, the globe's most exciting, well-priced sauvignon blanc comes from Chile, such as the gobsmacking 2012 Concha y Toro Serie Riberas Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc Colchagua Chile ($15). Languedoc Domaine de Magellan Magellan 2017. When he and Legros bought the estate in 1999, it was a rundown collection of vineyards planted to a multitude of grape varieties its former owner had planted the range to see which grapes would work best there. We in the Languedoc should make good wines that are good values as well,” Lafon says. The price has been stable over the past year. This is priced above average for white wine from IGP Cotes de Thongue. Formerly this wine was labelled as 'Domaine Magellan Le Fruit Defendu Blanc'. “We have great terroir in the Languedoc, but we are young-it took 1,000 years for regions like Burgundy to become what they are today. Indicative blend: Predominantly Grenache Blanc with Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains. Lafon, whose brother Dominique oversees the famed Burgundian estate of Comtes Lafon, handles the vineyards and winemaking while Legros runs the business side. Lafon moved to the Languedoc in 1998 to start his own winery, Domaine Magellan, with his sister-in-law, Sylvie Legros.
As a long time Languedoc wine hunter I was impressed with what I tried that I made note of his work and kept an eye out for the wines in the USA.
About ten years or so I first met winemaker Domaine Magellan' s Bruno Lafon, the Burgundian transplant to the town of Pezenas when visiting with Sylvain Fadat of Domaine d’Aupilhac. One of the more inventive vintners in the Languedoc is former Burgundy winemaker Bruno Lafon, who is now based in the obscure Côtes de Thongue appellation. 2017 La Fruit Defendu by Domaine Magellan.