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2019 Pays d’Oc Rouge “Les Vieilles Vignes de Mourvèdre”
Château La RoqueEven though this wine also hails from the slopes of Pic Saint Loup, Château La Roque has not been allowed to add “Pic Saint Loup” to its label since 2017, after the region was granted AOC status. Why? Because the appellation requires that at least 50% of the blend be Syrah, while old-vine Mourvèdre is the backbone of this gorgeous biodynamic cuvée. Notes of black cherries, iron, and blood orange coalesce in a plush and approachable bottling that would give many Bandols a run for their money.
—Tom Wolf
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2019 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 70% Mourvèdre, 20% Syrah, 10% Grenache |
Appellation: | IGP Pays d'Oc |
Country: | France |
Region: | Languedoc-Roussillon |
Producer: | Château La Roque |
Winemaker: | Cyriaque Rozier |
Vineyard: | 50 - 60 years, 18 ha |
Soil: | Clay, limestone scree |
Aging: | Aged in demi-muids (2,3,4, and 5 years old) for 18 months, aged in bottle for 6 months |
Farming: | Biodynamic (practicing) |
Alcohol: | 14.2% |
More from this Producer or Region
2021 Pic Saint Loup Rouge
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There is something timeless to La Roque’s Pic Saint Loup, its herbal bouquet and rich, fleshy texture, all free from any hint of modern trappings.
2022 Pic Saint-Loup Rosé
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This rosé, so pale you need to hold it up to a light that flicker of rosé hue, blurs the line between rosé and blanc.
2022 Languedoc Blanc
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February Club Gourmand ~ Lately you may have noticed a rise in freshness, a burst in aromatics, and a softness of texture in La Roque’s wines.
2020 Corbières “Rozeta”
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The Rozeta features the exuberant, inviting perfume and velvety wild fruit we expect from a wine that underwent 100% whole-cluster fermentation.
2020 Pic Saint Loup Rouge “Cupa Numismae”
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It’s dense, noble, with grip and grit, the kind of cuvée that could generate a lot of awe and attention... and also a much higher price tag.
Vin de Pays Memoire “d’Automnes”
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With its aromas of toasted almonds and butterscotch, the resulting bone-dry wine is nothing short of enthralling.
2020 Pays d’Oc Rouge “Les Vieilles Vignes de Mourvèdre”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Cherry-cheeked and ebullient, this old-vine Mourvèdre acts anything but its age. Pure fun and drinkability; black cherry, citrus and stone. Age ain't nothing but a number!
2022 Saint-Chinian Rosé
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March Adventures ~ This Languedoc beauty could easily be taken for its Provençal cousin—that is, until you see the price tag.
2021 Saint-Chinian Blanc “Montmajou”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
The Jurassic limestone soil and high elevation lieu-dit where the name “Montmajou” springs from lend this blanc a lean elegance.
2021 Terrasses du Larzac Rouge
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This wine marries the sunny influence of the south with chewy mountain tannins and a fresh streak of cool stone.
About The Producer
Château La Roque
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.
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Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
I want you to realize once and for all: Even the winemaker does not know what aging is going to do to a new vintage; Robert Parker does not know; I do not know. We all make educated (hopefully) guesses about what the future will bring, but guesses they are. And one of the pleasures of a wine cellar is the opportunity it provides for you to witness the evolution of your various selections. 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.
Inspiring Thirst, page 171