In Vino Veritas in the Minervois
Nestled in the foothills of the black mountains is the village of La Livinière and like all villages in the Minervois, it is as pretty as a picture. For those of you enjoying a luxury barge cruise along fabled Canal du Midi, it is well worth mooring up in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Carcassonne and making the thirty minute drive through the vineyards to this centre of wine production. The Romans planted vines here 2,000 years ago and La Livinière village derives its name from the Latinate or Occitan Lavineira castrum (place planted with vines). In 1999 it achieved the coveted cru status, which means tighter regulations in terms of yields, planting, and types of grape.
Chateau Maris and Chateau St Eulalie both have great reputations, but our absolute favourite is Domaine de la Senche.
Domaine de la Senche
The Domaine is owned by Tove and Arnstein Hernes, a Norwegian couple who have had the audacity to play the French at their own game. The first time we went they gave us the most extraordinary welcome – we met their dog, some friends of theirs who were staying with them, and Arnstein took us into the vineyards at the end of their picturesque garden and actually picked grapes from their vines for us to taste – the sweet burst of Syrah on the tongue is quite something.
The winery is opposite the square which is home to the only restaurant in the village and it is suitably atmospheric. Arnstein worked in the oil industry for many years, but always dreamed of owning his own vineyard and he snatched moments to study for the WSET Diploma of Wine while he was still working in Norway. Time spent living in Paris and Cognac convinced them that France was the place to be.
When we went for a tasting (it’s advisable to book in advance) we were there for two hours – Arnstein took infinite care to explain the winemaking process and opened bottle after bottle for us to try. Our favourite is Hibou, a red wine made from Syrah and Carignan with a dash of Grenache and named after the owls they can hear in the fields at night. They are happy to take you on a tour of their vineyards – they have parcels of vines in the surrounding villages of Felines and Borie de Moline, and at harvest time (but by prior arrangement only) small groups can go and do a couple of hours picking in the morning (everything at La Senche is hand-picked), enjoy lunch in their gorgeous back garden and finish off with a degustation amongst ancient oak barrels large enough to sleep in overnight – you might need a nap after the tasting!
And they don’t just make wine, they grow olives and produce extra virgin oil made from Picholine, Oliviere and Aglandau varieties. Furthermore, if you catch them with a fall larder you can buy a jar of their very own Lucques table olives – the most delicious we have ever tasted.
You can’t always guarantee that dreams will come true (although we’ve always found cruising the French waterways is a dream in itself), so to see the dreams of Arnstein and Tove coming true at Domaine de la Senche in real time is quite special – indeed, their top wine is called Cuvee Somi – Somi means dream in Occitan.
Arnstein and Tove Hernes: +33 679 63 39 69 Website: www.domainedelasenche.com Instagram: domaine_de_la_senche
Hotel barges that cruise the Canal du Midi and the Minervois include
Athos, Saraphina, Roi Soleil and Esperance
Canal du Midi
Cruise one of the oldest canals in the world; the Canal du Midi is unique and breathtakingly beautiful, earning the title of UNESCO World Heritage Site. By self-drive boat or hotel barge, it offers a variety of cruising vistas – from sea-scapes and hillside views to tiny villages and the stunning medieval castle at Carcassonne.
