Alcohol: 14.5%
Grape(s): 40% Syrah, 40% Mourvèdre, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Counoise
Location: Pays d'Hérault, Languedoc, France
Tasting Notes: Full-bodied, deeply concentrated and layered, with dark fruit, spice and garrigue. Renowned for its voluptuous texture and purity, it is often compared to a top Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Notes: Laurent Vaillé farms biodynamically on hard limestone soils near Aniane, working with minimal intervention in the cellar. Production is tiny.
Food Pairing: Roast lamb, game, duck, and richly seasoned stews. Decant and cellar for years.
Winery Story: After training under masters such as Jean-François Coche-Dury, Gérard Chave and Eloi Durrbach, Laurent Vaillé settled near Aniane in the Hérault in 1989. He cleared stubborn limestone by dynamite and bulldozer to plant a vineyard no one thought viable, and went on to create one of the Languedoc's true cult wines.
