Notify me
2020 Pays d’Oc Rouge “Les Vieilles Vignes de Mourvèdre”
Château La Roque

Even 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: | 2020 |
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 (certified) |
Alcohol: | 14.2% |
More from this Producer or Region

2020 Pic Saint Loup Rouge “Cupa Numismae”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
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.

2013 Muscat de Rivesaltes
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
A local specialty, Mille Vignes’ Muscat de Rivesaltes flaunts a ravishing perfume of infinite flowers and fruits, equally refreshing as an apéritif as it is satisfying with dessert.

2017 Pays de l’Aude Blanc “Le Pied des Nymphettes”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
On the palate: round, shapely, a slight bitterness like bay leaf, a salinity from the nearby sea, and great freshness.

2017 Rivesaltes “Noir de Carignan”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Bursting with sweet blackberry fruit coupled with just enough earthy terroir to keep you coming back for more. It's a majestic foil to any meal, and an excellent pairing with dark chocolate.

2021 Pic Saint Loup Rouge
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
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.

2021 Languedoc Blanc
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Lately you may have noticed a rise in freshness, a burst in aromatics, and a softness of texture in La Roque’s wines.

2019 Corbières Rouge “Campagnès”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
This drinks like great cru Beaujolais infused with southern soul.

2021 Corbières Rouge
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
The accents of herbal garrigue and vineyard stones offer just enough earthy terroir to counterbalance the chewy black fruit and mouth-coating wild brambleberry, making this bargain red the right bottle to uncork at any which moment.

2022 Saint-Chinian Rosé
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
This Languedoc beauty could easily be taken for its Provençal cousin—that is, until you see the price tag.

2021 Pic Saint-Loup Rosé
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
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.
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
2020 Gard Rouge “Cru-Elles”
Ludovic Engelvin France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2014 Pays de l'Aude Muscat Sec
Domaine Les Mille Vignes France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2019 Saint-Chinian Rouge “Causse du Bousquet”
Mas Champart France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Languedoc Blanc “Aupilhac”
Domaine d'Aupilhac France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Pays d’Oc Blanc “Les Traverses de Fontanès”
Les Traverses de Fontanès France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Corbières Rosé “Gris de Gris” MAGNUM
Domaine de Fontsainte France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Vin de Pays Memoire “d’Automnes”
Domaine La Tour Vieille France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Cap de Creus “Ranci Sec”
Domaine La Tour Vieille France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Languedoc Blanc “Cuvée Sainte Agnès”
Héritage du Pic Saint Loup France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Saint-Chinian Rosé
Mas Champart France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Banyuls “Reserva”
Domaine La Tour Vieille France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2017 Rivesaltes “Noir de Carignan”
Domaine Les Mille Vignes France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Gard Rouge “Cru-Elles”
Ludovic Engelvin France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2014 Pays de l'Aude Muscat Sec
Domaine Les Mille Vignes France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2019 Saint-Chinian Rouge “Causse du Bousquet”
Mas Champart France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Languedoc Blanc “Aupilhac”
Domaine d'Aupilhac France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Pays d’Oc Blanc “Les Traverses de Fontanès”
Les Traverses de Fontanès France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Corbières Rosé “Gris de Gris” MAGNUM
Domaine de Fontsainte France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Vin de Pays Memoire “d’Automnes”
Domaine La Tour Vieille France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Cap de Creus “Ranci Sec”
Domaine La Tour Vieille France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Languedoc Blanc “Cuvée Sainte Agnès”
Héritage du Pic Saint Loup France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Saint-Chinian Rosé
Mas Champart France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Banyuls “Reserva”
Domaine La Tour Vieille France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2017 Rivesaltes “Noir de Carignan”
Domaine Les Mille Vignes 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.