2011 Domaine de la Grange des Pères, Rouge, Pays de l'Herault, Languedoc
Critics reviews
Tasting like a top-flight Chateauneuf du Pape, the 2011 Grange des Peres is a supple, beautifully polished and voluptuous red that shows the warmth and sun of the vintage. Kirsch, sweet cherries, dried Provencal garrigue and Asian spices all emerge from the glass, while this medium to full-bodied effort has no hard edges and sweet tannin. Drink it anytime over the coming 7-8 years.
Drink 2016 - 2024
Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate (April 2017)
About this WINE
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.
IGP Pays d'Hérault
IGP Pays d’Hérault is a geographical indication encompassing vineyards within the Hérault department in France’s Languedoc-Roussillon region. Bordered by the Aude, Tarn, Aveyron, and Gard departments and the Mediterranean Sea to the south, it benefits from a Mediterranean climate ideal for diverse grape varieties.
The region gained international recognition thanks to Mas de Daumas Gassac, located north of Montpellier. Its founder, Aimé Guibert, planted a unique mix of vines on volcanic soil, which oenologist Emile Peynaud identified as being capable of producing Cru-standard wines.
While exceptional terroirs like this are rare in Hérault, improvements in winemaking and the use of international grape varieties have elevated the region’s reputation. Dominant red grapes include Syrah, Cabernet. Sauvignon, Merlot, Grenache are the dominant red wine grapes, while Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Marsanne and Viogner are the main white varietals.
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.
When is a wine ready to drink?
We provide drinking windows for all our wines. Alongside the drinking windows there is a bottle icon and a maturity stage. Bear in mind that the best time to drink a wine does also depend on your taste.
Not ready
These wines are very young. Whilst they're likely to have lots of intense flavours, their acidity or tannins may make them feel austere. Although it isn't "wrong" to drink these wines now, you are likely to miss out on a lot of complexity by not waiting for them to mature.
Ready - youthful
These wines are likely to have plenty of fruit flavours still and, for red wines, the tannins may well be quite noticeable. For those who prefer younger, fruitier wines, or if serving alongside a robust meal, these will be very enjoyable. If you choose to hold onto these wines, the fruit flavours will evolve into more savoury complexity.
Ready - at best
These wines are likely to have a beautiful balance of fruit, spice and savoury flavours. The acidity and tannins will have softened somewhat, and the wines will show plenty of complexity. For many, this is seen as the ideal time to drink and enjoy these wines. If you choose to hold onto these wines, they will become more savoury but not necessarily more complex.
Ready - mature
These wines are likely to have plenty of complexity, but the fruit flavours will have been almost completely replaced by savoury and spice notes. These wines may have a beautiful texture at this stage of maturity. There is lots to enjoy when drinking wines at this stage. Most of these wines will hold in this window for a few years, though at the very end of this drinking window, wines start to lose complexity and decline.
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Description
Tasting like a top-flight Chateauneuf du Pape, the 2011 Grange des Peres is a supple, beautifully polished and voluptuous red that shows the warmth and sun of the vintage. Kirsch, sweet cherries, dried Provencal garrigue and Asian spices all emerge from the glass, while this medium to full-bodied effort has no hard edges and sweet tannin. Drink it anytime over the coming 7-8 years.
Drink 2016 - 2024
Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate (April 2017)
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