Pézenas

Its elegance makes it the perfect match for thick-cut beef steak in a pepper sauce, coq au vin and beef bourguignon.

This 2.5-hectare vineyard of Syrah and Grenache is located in the Pézénas viticultural area. The sandstone or silt from these Triassic soils is a natural wonder for growing vines. A cursory glance reveals stony ground which promotes drainage and prevents rainwater from standing, thereby providing a natural ally against vine disease. But the soil’s greatest strength is that it acts as an amazing source of coolness, protecting our vines against drought. Slightly acid, it produces flamboyant wines with extremely refined tannins. The vines are situated at the top of a hill, Grenache facing South and Syrah North, which means we can harvest both varieties at the same time.

Matured in 2-3-year-old Burgundy casks lasting 12 months, followed by 2 months’ ageing in concrete tanks.

The Syrah and Grenache are put in the same tank. Winemaking is traditional with no added yeast. Low-temperature fermentation enables good extraction, particularly at the start of fermentation. This technique allows us to achieve greater precision during the maturation phase.

An array of soil types a dozen grape varieties and vineyard management revolving mainly around the bush vine training system – we are convinced that the way to maximise terroir expression is to blend all these components in our wines. We now have the hindsight to know exactly how our vines and the wines from our two major viticultural sites will perform allowing us to the push the boundaries in terms of expression and balance. The two extremely complementary soil types enable our bottlings to fully reveal themselves: the forcefulness of wines sourced from Villafranchian soils structures the finesse of those grown on sandstone creating a unique balance.