A fantastic and acclaimed organic property located in the enclave of Montpeyroux, 36 km to the north of Montpellier. From North West facing vineyards at an altitude of 350 metres, this is a blend of equal shares of Marsanne, Rolle, Roussanne and Grenache Blanc. Vinified and aged in cask and third-fill barrique, then aged for ten months, this is an eloquent and extremely complex testament to the quality of top Languedoc wines.

With grapefruit, quince, dried fruit and white pepper on the nose, the palate is transformed into a honied labyrinth of flavour, its citric and mineral undercurrent in a perfect and poised counterpoint.
(Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer)

Le Clos is made up of 60 year-old vines, the make-up being 40% Carignan, 40% Mourvedre and 20% Syrah. The grapes are grown on distinctive blue marl soil, apparently very similar to the soils at Pétrus, whatever significance one may wish to attach to that association.

23 months of barrel fermentation, no bad thing given the reputation of the leading duo of grapes, has yielded a dense and brooding wine, saturnine in outlook, yet, for the patient, not lacking a sweeter more accommodating core that will reveal itself over the medium term.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer 

The top wine from one of the great Estates in the Languedoc, La Peira En Damaisela is now up there with the more established names such as Grange des Peres and Mas de Daumas and, in the view of many, is even better.

Here the blend is 70% Syrah and 30% Grenache; both have been picked at extraordinarily low yields of 7.5 hl/ha and the result is , unsurprisingly extremely concentrated. Cassis, black cherry even macerated prune, then undergrowth, spice and black pepper; the wine is young of course, yet already boasts an ethereal elegance which is characteristic of the greatest wines in the warmer climates and which is extremely difficult to achieve with such incalculable poise.
(Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer)

Domaine D'Aupilhac is an acclaimed organic property located in the enclave of Montpeyroux, 36 km to the north of Montpellier and its inspirational chef de cave Sylvan Fadat is one of the most respected and capable winemakers in the Languedoc.

This particular vineyard is, it seems, located on the site of a prehistoric lake and the soil shared between petrified volcanic emissions, limestone and basalt.

The assemblage has been aged for 20 months in barrique and then given time in the winery to settle and harmonise. The 2010 has leather and licorice on the nose, a hint of soisbois perhaps, then a rich and very complete palate, with blackberry and cassis, a lick of pepper and softly acquiescent tannins. Highly recommended with duck breast and figs or pigeon and ceps.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer 

The magic of Eloi Durbach’s Mediterranean vineyard stems not only from the natural beauty of the Beaux-de-Provence setting, with its gentle rolling hills and aromas of scrub, thyme and rosemary, not only from its romantic genesis and on-going connections with the bohemian world of painting and sculpture, but also from the simple philosophy which has informed the winemaking itself. Eschewing the dictates of Appellation Contrôleé and no friend of techniques such as destemming, filtration or the use of cultured yeasts, Eloi has ploughed on ( probably with a horse) and built a reputation for this wonderful wine with labels drawn by his late father, each subtly different , each designed to capture something of the essence of the vintage in question.

A propos, the 2010 is an outstanding example and therefore logically will merit a label which captures the colours and contours of a perfect season. The wine repays the compliment; the blend is divided equally between Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, the former lending an elegant Palladian structure, the later bright arboreal colour…..or in wine speak, firm but finely-etched tannins and a measured density of fruit, with blackberry and black cherry to the fore, and behind that hints of bay laurel and distant autumnal bonfires. The achievement of interloping Cabernet Sauvignon into these warm Provençal vineyards has been significant, and has no better illustration than the 2010 vintage.