Notify me
2016 Languedoc “Les Cocalières” Blanc
Domaine d’AupilhacThis blend of Roussanne, Rolle (Vermentino), Grenache Blanc, and Marsanne is a definite contender for “best white of the South.” The juice ferments wild and ages for more than a year in neutral casks, completing its malolactic fermentation before an unfiltered bottling. Why one of southern France’s finest whites? Poise, length, sense of place, and aging potential. A 2002 opened recently showed astonishing complexity, reminiscent of honey, almonds, wildflowers, and liquid rocks.
The Languedoc is certainly not known for its white wines, but planting the right grapes in the right site can yield great results. Retaining freshness is the crucial determinant here, as the hot meridional climate favors low acidity, and grapes like Marsanne and Grenache Blanc are lacking in natural acidity to begin with. At 350 meters above sea level, Cocalières experiences diurnal temperature shifts crucial to preserving this acid, while the northwest sun exposure prevents excessive ripeness and correspondingly flabby wines. The vineyard also boasts a curious and unusual geology: it was once a lake that formed after the eruption of an ancient volcano, resulting in a mixture of limestone and basalt—a rare geological phenomenon. The white wine from Cocalières perfectly reflects its terroir: taut, mineral—almost salty—and suggestive of the wild thyme and fennel that grow abundantly around the vines.
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2016 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 25% Roussanne, 25% Marsanne, 25% Rolle, 25% Grenache Blanc |
Appellation: | Languedoc |
Country: | France |
Region: | Languedoc-Roussillon |
Producer: | Domaine d'Aupilhac |
Winemaker: | Sylvain Fadat |
Vineyard: | 10 years |
Soil: | Limestone, Basalt |
Farming: | Organic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 12.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
2021 Corbières Blanc“La Bégou”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Just different and obscure enough to deliver the thrill of introducing someone to a gorgeous wine that is familiar, but new.
2021 Languedoc Blanc “Les Cocalières”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
One of five or six most outstanding dry whites of the Mediterranean rim, vintage after vintage and worth every centime!
2022 Languedoc Blanc “Aupilhac”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
A blend of Grenache Blanc, Ugni Blanc, Clairette, and Vermentino that tastes as if bees had harvested the nectar and pollen of all the local flowers and herbs and brewed it into wine.
2020 Vin de France “Le Carignan”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Old vines give this Carignan a supple, suede-like texture, along with loads of dark fruit, a peaty smokiness, and great minerality.
2020 Gard Rouge “Clausus”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
This wine is full of fresh Grenache fruit, beautifully perfumed, with a refined and elegant finish.
2022 Pays d’Oc Cabernet Sauvignon “Les Traverses”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Genuinely reflecting the down-home, country soulfulness we love about the Languedoc.
2021 Banyuls “Rimage”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Imagine a red, Grenache-based Sauternes, full of earth and spice, and you’ll have a decent idea how delicious this Banyuls tastes.
2021 Languedoc Rouge “Lou Maset”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
There is a strangely beautiful harmony between earth, sun, and man.
2020 Languedoc Montpeyroux Rouge
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Proof that a great site and honest farming are key to genuine, long-lived wines.
2022 Pic Saint-Loup Rouge
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Maybe it’s the biodynamic farming, but these wines always seem to have an extra gear when it comes to aromatics and sheer deliciousness.
About The Producer
Domaine d'Aupilhac
About The Region
Languedoc-Roussillon
Ask wine drinkers around the world, and the word “Languedoc” is sure to elicit mixed reactions. On the one hand, the region is still strongly tied to its past as a producer of cheap, insipid bulk wine in the eyes of many consumers. On the other hand, it is the source of countless great values providing affordable everyday pleasure, with an increasing number of higher-end wines capable of rivaling the best from other parts of France.
While there’s no denying the Languedoc’s checkered history, the last two decades have seen a noticeable shift to fine wine, with an emphasis on terroir. Ambitious growers have sought out vineyard sites with poor, well draining soils in hilly zones, curbed back on irrigation and the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and looked to balance traditional production methods with technological advancements to craft wines with elegance, balance, and a clear sense of place. Today, the overall quality and variety of wines being made in the Languedoc is as high as ever.
Shaped like a crescent hugging the Mediterranean coast, the region boasts an enormous variety of soil types and microclimates depending on elevation, exposition, and relative distance from the coastline and the cooler foothills farther inland. While the warm Mediterranean climate is conducive to the production of reds, there are world-class whites and rosés to be found as well, along with stunning dessert wines revered by connoisseurs for centuries.
More from Languedoc-Roussillon or France
2020 Pays d’Oc Rouge “Les Vieilles Vignes de Mourvèdre”
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Pic Saint-Loup Rosé
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Saint-Chinian Blanc
Mas Champart France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Languedoc Blanc
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2019 Corbières Rouge “Campagnès”
Maxime Magnon France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Corbières “Rozeta”
Maxime Magnon France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2019 Faugères “Valinière”
Domaine Leon Barral France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Collioure Rouge “Puig Oriol”
Domaine La Tour Vieille France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Terrasses du Larzac Rouge
Les Vignes Oubliées France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Languedoc Rouge “Lou Maset”
Domaine d’Aupilhac France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Monts de la Grage Blanc
Mas Champart France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Pic Saint Loup Rouge “Cupa Numismae”
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Pays d’Oc Rouge “Les Vieilles Vignes de Mourvèdre”
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Pic Saint-Loup Rosé
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Saint-Chinian Blanc
Mas Champart France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Languedoc Blanc
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2019 Corbières Rouge “Campagnès”
Maxime Magnon France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Corbières “Rozeta”
Maxime Magnon France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2019 Faugères “Valinière”
Domaine Leon Barral France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Collioure Rouge “Puig Oriol”
Domaine La Tour Vieille France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Terrasses du Larzac Rouge
Les Vignes Oubliées France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Languedoc Rouge “Lou Maset”
Domaine d’Aupilhac France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Monts de la Grage Blanc
Mas Champart France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Pic Saint Loup Rouge “Cupa Numismae”
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
Living wines have ups and downs just as people do, periods of glory and dog days, too. If wine did not remind me of real life, I would not care about it so much.