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2020 Languedoc Blanc
Château La Roque
Lately you may have noticed a rise in freshness, a burst in aromatics, and a softness of texture in La Roque’s wines. One secret to this development (winemakers, take note!) is that, upon harvest, the grapes—picked into small crates—are stacked up in a cold room and left alone for a full thirty-six hours. What this does is chill them down to the seed, and when the juice is then pressed and the indigenous yeasts wake from their cold-induced slumber, they take it nice and easy for a slow ferment. Some say that historically in Burgundy, for example, the region’s reputation for great blanc came about partly because of the cellars’ deep natural chill, which forced the yeasts to slow down and take their time, allowing for greater complexity and bouquet. You could call it Slow Wine.
—Chris Santini
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2020 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 30% Marsanne, 30% Rolle, 25% Grenache Blanc, 15% Viognier/Roussanne |
Appellation: | A.O.C. Languedoc |
Country: | France |
Region: | Languedoc-Roussillon |
Producer: | Château La Roque |
Winemaker: | Cyriaque Rozier |
Vineyard: | 30 years, 6 ha for both white wines |
Soil: | Scree slopes, Clay, Limestone |
Aging: | Aged in cement tanks (80%) and demi-muids (20%) for 6 months |
Farming: | Biodynamic (practicing) |
Alcohol: | 13% |
More from this Producer or Region

2022 Pic Saint-Loup Rouge
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Maybe it’s the biodynamic farming, but these wines always seem to have an extra gear when it comes to aromatics and sheer deliciousness.

2021 Pic Saint Loup Rouge “Sainte Agnès”
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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.

2020 Faugères “Jadis”
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Earthy, meaty, savory, juicy, and powerful, it is a glassful of joyful, soulful goodness.

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 Languedoc Blanc “Aupilhac”
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2022 Saint-Chinian Blanc “Montmajou”
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2022 Collioure Rouge “Puig Ambeille”
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2022 Vin de France Blanc “Malvoise”
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Tasting the bottle, one quickly sees winemaker Cyriaque Rozier’s statement that Malvasia has “acclimated perfectly to the land of La Roque” is not an overstatement.

2021 Pays d’Oc Rouge “Les Vieilles Vignes de Mourvèdre”
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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.
More from Languedoc-Roussillon or France
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Château Fontanès France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Pays d’Hérault Rouge
Domaine de la Grange des Pères France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Corbières “Rozeta”
Maxime Magnon France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Vin de France Blanc
Domaine Leon Barral France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Saint-Chinian Rouge “Sortilège”
Les Eminades France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Corbières “Rozeta”
Maxime Magnon France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Pic Saint Loup Rouge “Cupa Numismae”
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon
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Where the newsletter started

Where the newsletter started
Every three or four months I would send my clients a cheaply made list of my inventory, but it began to dawn on me that business did not pick up afterwards. It occurred to me that my clientele might not know what Château Grillet is, either. One month in 1974 I had an especially esoteric collection of wines arriving, so I decided to put a short explanation about each wine into my price list, to try and let my clients know what to expect when they uncorked a bottle. The day after I mailed that brochure, people showed up at the shop, and that is how these little propaganda pieces for fine wine were born.—Kermit Lynch