2021 Grolleau “Franc de Pied”Bernard Baudry
France | Loire
$36
Producers
Nestled deep in the foothills of the Cévennes mountains, the Terrasses du Larzac appellation is one of the Languedoc’s hidden treasures. The “forgotten vines” in question are old Grenache alongside Syrah and Carignan, poking out of a complex mosaic of soils at high elevation. Barrel-aged in a cool grotto hidden away in the forest, this wine marries the sunny influence of the south with chewy mountain tannins and a fresh streak of cool stone. The most age-worthy Grenache on this page, it can also be appreciated today for its youthful verve.
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2016 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 20% Carignan |
Appellation: | Terrasses du Larzac |
Country: | France |
Region: | Languedoc-Roussillon |
Producer: | Les Vignes Oubliées |
Winemaker: | Jean-Baptiste Granier |
Vineyard: | 40 yrs avg, 6 ha |
Soil: | Schist, Sandstone, Clay, Limestone |
Aging: | Aged 12-months in demi-muids and barriques |
Farming: | Organic (practicing) |
Alcohol: | 14.4% |
Les Vignes Oubliées France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Terrasses du Larzac
Maxime Magnon France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Corbières
Domaine de Fontsainte France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Corbières
Maxime Magnon France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Corbières
Maxime Magnon France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Corbières
Domaine Les Mille Vignes France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Fitou
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.
Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Pic Saint Loup
Domaine Leon Barral France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Faugères
Ludovic Engelvin France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Gard
Maxime Magnon France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Corbières
Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Pic Saint Loup
Domaine Les Mille Vignes France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Vin de Pay de l’Aude
Château Fontanès France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Pic Saint-Loup
Maxime Magnon France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Corbières
Domaine de Fontsainte France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Corbières
Domaine Les Mille Vignes France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Fitou
Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Pic Saint Loup
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon | A.O.C. Languedoc Pic Saint Loup
Let the brett nerds retire into protective bubbles, and whenever they thirst for wine it can be passed in to them through a sterile filter. Those of us on the outside can continue to enjoy complex, natural, living wines.
Inspiring Thirst, page 236
Drinking distilled spirits, beer, coolers, wine and other alcoholic beverages may increase cancer risk, and, during pregnancy, can cause birth defects. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/alcohol
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