2008 Domaine de la Grange des Pères, Rouge, Pays de l'Herault, Languedoc

Grange des Peres, Laurent Vaille

Founded in the early 1990s, Laurent Vaille is the renowned winemaker behind Grange des Pères, a highly acclaimed winery in southern France's Languedoc-Roussillon region.

Vaille's winemaking philosophy centres around producing wines of great finesse and complexity that reflect the unique characteristics of the Languedoc-Roussillon terroir. He is deeply committed to crafting wines with a sense of place, focusing on expressing the distinct qualities of the vineyards where his grapes are grown.

Grange des Pères practices sustainable viticulture with a strong emphasis on organic and biodynamic principles. He believes in nurturing healthy vineyards by promoting biodiversity and maintaining a balanced ecosystem. The vineyards are meticulously tended, and the grapes are carefully hand-harvested to ensure optimal quality.

In the cellar, Vaille adopts a meticulous and detail-oriented approach. The grapes are treated with great respect, and the winemaking process is gentle and non-interventionist. Vaille employs traditional winemaking techniques combined with modern precision to create elegant and expressive wines.

The flagship wine of Grange des Pères is a red blend that typically consists of Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Counoise. These carefully selected varietals are vinified separately and blended to create a harmonious and balanced wine. The result is a wine of remarkable depth and complexity, often praised for its rich fruit flavours, refined tannins, and excellent ageing potential.

VdP de l'Herault

Hérault is a Vin de Pays (Départementaux) French wine appellation, that encompasses vineyard area from the eponymous Hérault department in the region of Languedoc-Roussillon. Hérault is surrounded by the departments of Aude, Tarn, Aveyron, Gard, and the Mediterranean sea on the south. 

The reputation of Hérault received its biggest boost by the success of the wine domaine Mas de Daumas Gassac, located to the north of Montpellier. Aimé Guibert, the founder of the domaine, planted an eccentric mixture of vines on fine, volcanic soil that was identified by oneologist Emile Peynaud to be capable of producing wines of Cru standard. 

Plots of lands like this are rare in Hérault, but the ever-improving wine-making and the proliferation of international varieties deliver wines of excellent quality that compare very well with the DO appellation wines nearby. Syrah, Cab. Sauvignon, Merlot, Grenache are the dominant red wine grapes, while Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Marsanne and Viogner are the main white varietals.

Recommended Producers:
Mas de Daumas Gassac, Mas Conscience

Other Varieties

There are over 200 different grape varieties used in modern wine making (from a total of over 1000). Most lesser known blends and varieties are traditional to specific parts of the world.