Notify me
2021 Languedoc Blanc “Les Cocalières”
Domaine d’AupilhacThe 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, Les Cocalières experiences diurnal temperature shifts crucial to preserving this acid, while the northwestern sun exposure prevents excessive ripeness and correspondingly flabby wines. The vineyard also boasts a curious and unusual soil: the land 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.
Sylvain Fadat, founder of Domaine d’Aupilhac, ferments the juice wild and ages the wine for more than a year in neutral casks, where it completes its malolactic fermentation before an unfiltered bottling. The Cocalières blanc perfectly reflects its terroir: taut, mineral—almost salty—and suggestive of the wild thyme and fennel that grow abundantly around the vines. It also has tremendous aging potential; a 2002 opened recently showed astonishing complexity, reminiscent of honey, almonds, wildflowers, and liquid rocks.
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2021 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 30% Roussanne, 30% Vermentino, 20% Grenache Blanc, 20% Marsanne |
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% |
More from this Producer or Region
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!
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.
2022 Pays d’Oc Cabernet Sauvignon “Les Traverses”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Genuinely reflecting the down-home, country soulfulness we love about the Languedoc.
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.
2021 Collioure Rouge “Puig Oriol”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
A brooding, wild beast with hints of black fruit and Mediterranean herbs, this is a portal to Catalonia’s stunning seaside vineyards.
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.
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 Languedoc Montpeyroux Rouge
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Proof that a great site and honest farming are key to genuine, long-lived wines.
2020 Faugères “Jadis”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Earthy, meaty, savory, juicy, and powerful, it is a glassful of joyful, soulful goodness.
2021 Languedoc Rouge “Lou Maset”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
There is a strangely beautiful harmony between earth, sun, and man.
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 Collioure Rouge “Puig Ambeille”
Domaine La Tour Vieille France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Monts de la Grage Blanc
Mas Champart France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Pic Saint-Loup Rouge
Château Fontanès France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Saint-Chinian Blanc “Montmajou”
Les Eminades France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Languedoc Rouge “Lou Maset”
Domaine d’Aupilhac France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Corbières Rouge
Domaine de Fontsainte France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Terrasses du Larzac Rouge
Les Vignes Oubliées France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Pic Saint Loup Rouge “Cupa Numismae”
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Languedoc Blanc “Aupilhac”
Domaine d'Aupilhac France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2019 Faugères
Domaine Leon Barral France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2019 Faugères “Valinière”
Domaine Leon Barral France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Collioure Rouge “La Pinède”
Domaine La Tour Vieille France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Collioure Rouge “Puig Ambeille”
Domaine La Tour Vieille France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Monts de la Grage Blanc
Mas Champart France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Pic Saint-Loup Rouge
Château Fontanès France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Saint-Chinian Blanc “Montmajou”
Les Eminades France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Languedoc Rouge “Lou Maset”
Domaine d’Aupilhac France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Corbières Rouge
Domaine de Fontsainte France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Terrasses du Larzac Rouge
Les Vignes Oubliées France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Pic Saint Loup Rouge “Cupa Numismae”
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2022 Languedoc Blanc “Aupilhac”
Domaine d'Aupilhac France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2019 Faugères
Domaine Leon Barral France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2019 Faugères “Valinière”
Domaine Leon Barral France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Collioure Rouge “La Pinède”
Domaine La Tour Vieille France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
Great winemakers, great terroirs, there is never any hurry. And I no longer buy into this idea of “peak” maturity. Great winemakers, great terroirs, their wines offer different pleasures at different ages.
Inspiring Thirst, page 312