2020 Domaine de la Grange des Peres Pays d’Herault

Domaine de la Grange des Peres is everything a ‘cult’ wine should be. Tiny but meticulous production, a superbly talented winemaker, wonderful terroir, and customers across the globe desperate to get their hands on a bottle. Laurent Vaillé had been a physiotherapist by trade, but he quit his job in the early 1980s to pursue a career in winemaking. After studying viticulture and oenology, Laurent worked at numerous prestigious domaines (including JF Coche-Dury, JL Chave and Domaine de Trevallon) before returning to his family home near Aniane where he planted the land to Syrah, Mourvedre, and uncommon for the region, Cabernet Sauvignon. The decision on the latter meant foregoing the local appellation (AOP Coteaux du Languedoc), instead making Vins de Pays de l’Hérault.

The Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon vines are situated in a Northerly aspect on limestone soil at 300 metres altitude, whilst the Mourvèdre faces due South on pierres roulées, like in Chateauneuf du Pape. Yields are kept down to a minimal 25 hl/ha thanks to bunch thinning and manual sorting of the grapes. Laurent uses “reasoned” viticultural practices, keeping the use of chemicals to a bare minimum, cultivating the soil, removing leaves to let the generous sunlight into the canopy and performing a green harvest where necessary. Winemaking is traditional in style; each variety being vinified separately using natural yeasts and long maceration. The wines spend up to 24 months in barrel, one third new, but the oak is seamlessly integrated even upon release.