Elian Da Ros - Cocumont, France
Photo by our Alex Fortson @ftnwcreative during our last visit to Southwest France in May 2022.
ELIAN DA ROS: PURPLE HAZE AND EINE KLEINE NACHTVIN: 1
The appellation of Côtes du Marmandais, like next door Bordeaux, is in the Aquitaine. It takes the name from the town of Marmande. Richard Coeur du Lion built a large fortress there on the banks of the Garonne and the rest is/was history. Those who love Bordeaux will recognize the Garonne as the river that splits the famed right and left banks that are home to Margaux, St. Julien, St. Emilion, Paulliac and others.
As a priority, of our annual travels to France are based on finding great wines at low prices and bringing them all back home as economically as possible. Finding top quality wines from Bordeaux these days is a little like believing in Santa Claus - it works for a little while for some people. It seems fitting that while the best wines of Bordeaux are absolute gems, that they come from one bank or another sort of sums it up — all puns are on. So while today $300 a bottle may seem bargain-like in B-ville, we prefer bargains at a tenth of the price, preferring to not worry about the banks of Bordeaux or their bankers.
Marmandais - light green, just below and right of Banker Bordeaux.
Something’s happening and whatever it is, it will put a spell on you. If we may, France is full of terrific winemakers; some young, some not. Rarely, very rarely one emerges from a centuries old wine producing area historically noted for a pleasant little wines. A place where life goes on and if the locals want a “great” wine they look elsewhere. It is both special and shocking when one winemaker, one guy materializes in such a place and sets the fields on fire. Think of Johnny Allen Hendrix on his haunches, fingers wiggling at an altar with his guitar in flame. From a more practical standpoint, think of Gerard Chave turning Hermitage on its side, or Jackson Pollock befuddling a whole art form, except this is France, and French wine at that.
The young Elian Da Ros arrived south of Bordeaux at the Village of Cocumont about two decades ago and since had rocked the region, then the country. He had a vision and a mission, and believed he had found the place to make world class wines. And why not, his small patch of vines in the barely perceptible Appellation of Côtes du Marmandais was far from prime time. Nearby burb Marmande’s only claim to fame (from a fluke of geography)? Richard the Lion-Hearted left the joint about 900 years ago. Most stops in Marmande are for gas or directions. Yet another long time traveler in the region the Garonne River, peacefully moves northward toward those nearby bankers at Bordeaux. From a perspective of place, of dirt, of hills, of climate, Elian’s vines are close in to the big Bordeaux appellation of Graves. It was not until 1990 that the Côtes du Marmandais was granted the status of place: “appellation controlée”; an AC.
How’s this for stunners? In the Oxford Companion to Wine Elian is actually mentioned, and that now some ten plus years ago as the lone winemaker mentioned from the Côtes du Marmandais! And why not? His wines are outrageously compelling. Our tastings with Elian have been high points on our French odysseys. Elian and has worked closely and spent much time with both Olivier Humbrecht and the celebrated Grange Des Pere’s Laurent Vaille, a duo equivalent to the likes of Washington and Lincoln.
A few years ago we were delighted to host Elian at the shop in a wonderful tasting of his then current releases - and our work with him continues year in and year out.
ELIAN DA ROS: PURPLE HAZE AND EINE KLEINE NACHTVIN: 2
Yes so what does Elion have to do with Mozart you ask? Back in 1787 W.A. Was writing both “Don Giovanni” and “Eine Kliene Nachtmusik,” thus creating his accompaniment for both a big dinner and any following nocturnal pursuits. EDR’s little winery and his then treacherously icy driveway Mozart’s night music theme was on my mind... But what really got me? The stairwell approach down into and overlooking his winery - it looked a lot like a musical score - rows were split between the barrels and the stacked bottles. As we tasted it was clear that Elion was a Maestro leading us through the barrels: “try this one,” now that, “here’s the last barrel picked of the same vineyard you just tasted“ and so on. Like another he greatly admires and reveres, JL Chave, Elian blends all these notes, “composes” if you will.
If you have not tasted these wines, it is more than well worth the dive in: here we have a wonderful producer making wines of great interest - and not of great price.
When in stock, wines from this producer appear below. Click on each wine for more detail.