{"id":6811,"date":"2024-12-05T07:19:24","date_gmt":"2024-12-05T07:19:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.michaelpinkuswinereview.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/05\/languedoc-pic-saint-loup-in-the-spotlight\/"},"modified":"2024-12-05T07:19:24","modified_gmt":"2024-12-05T07:19:24","slug":"languedoc-pic-saint-loup-in-the-spotlight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.michaelpinkuswinereview.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/05\/languedoc-pic-saint-loup-in-the-spotlight\/","title":{"rendered":"Languedoc \u2013 Pic Saint-Loup in the Spotlight"},"content":{"rendered":"

(MAY 3, 2023) … <\/strong><\/em>PIC SAINT-LOUP<\/strong><\/p>\n

This morning I sat in at on the Masterclass about Pic Saint Loup – here are some of the highlights. \"PIC<\/p>\n

One of the finest Vin de Garde regions of Languedoc. The Legend of the name:  there are three knights, named Loup \/ Guiral and Clair, are in love with the same woman, the woman dies. They decide to live in silence on different Mountain tops in the area – they light fires every year to commemorate the woman they loved. The last one left, survivor, to light a fire was “Loup”.<\/p>\n

Pic Saint-Loup is the most northerly of the regions: 658m above sea level at its highest peak – it has rugged terrain and plantings are at about 150-300m. And it was the last of the Languedoc sub-apps to receive its AOP status (2017).<\/p>\n

The region encompasses 1400 hectares (approx), with 75 independent “domaines”, 3 co-ops, and the region breaks down its wine production into: 90% Red \/ 10% Rosé … it is also one of the wettest regions of Languedoc (1000mm \/ year); but with a relatively dry growing season (~150mm). The soils are dominated by limestone.<\/p>\n

Syrah makes up at least 50%; with both Grenache and Mourvedre playing integral parts; blends must be a minimum of two of these grapes. Secondary grapes include: Carignan, Cinsault, Cournoise, Morristel – capped at 10% of a blend; minimum ageing is 9 months (many go much longer).<\/p>\n

Rosés are made up of at least 30% Syrah and 2 of the main grapes; Grenache Gris is also allowed.<\/p>\n

One thing that makes the region so desirable for winemaking is its great diurnal temperature variation.<\/p>\n

__________________________<\/p>\n

\"PIC<\/p>\n

These are my honest, no-nonsense thoughts about the wines I tasted from the Languedoc’s various sub-regions presented on that day.<\/em><\/p>\n

First, I provide my take on the region, based on all the wines I tried … then I score the wines I liked on a scale of Good, Better, Best (then I list them alphabetically)<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Chateau De Cazeneuve 2021 Les Calcaires<\/em><\/span> … Good<\/strong>
Château Fontanès 2019 Sereen<\/em><\/span> … Better<\/strong>
Château La Roque 2020 La Cupa<\/em><\/span> … Better<\/strong>
Château La Roque 2021 Château La Roque<\/em><\/span> … Good<\/strong>
Chateau Lancyre 2019 Grande Cuvée Rouge<\/em><\/span> … Good<\/strong>
Château L’euzière 2021 Almandin<\/em><\/span> … Good<\/strong>
Chemin Des Rêves 2021 Gueule De Loup<\/em><\/span> … Good<\/strong>
Domaine Cammaous Et Caussarelle 2019 Roubioire<\/em><\/span> … Better \"PIC<\/strong>
Domaine Cammaous Et Caussarelle 2020 Cent Seize<\/em><\/span> … Good<\/strong>
Domaine De L’hortus 2020 Domaine De L’hortus “Grande Cuvée”<\/em><\/span> … Good<\/strong>
Domaine De L’hortus 2021 Bergerie De L’hortus<\/em><\/span> … Good<\/strong>
Domaine La Fournaca 2021 Le Baiser De La Vigne<\/em><\/span> … Good<\/strong>
Domaine Les Grandes Costes 2019 Les Grandes Costes<\/em><\/span> … Good<\/strong>
Domaine Mirabel 2021 Les Éclats<\/em><\/span> … Good<\/strong>
Domaine Uma 2020 Domaine Uma<\/em><\/span> … Better<\/strong>
Gaec Heritage Du Pic Saint Loup 2021 Sainte Agnes<\/em><\/span> … Better<\/strong>
Hommes Et Terres Du Sud 2021 La Cordée<\/em><\/span> … Good<\/strong>
La Gravette 2020 Gravettissime<\/em><\/span> … Good<\/strong>
La Gravette 2020 L’intégrale<\/em><\/span> … Good<\/strong>
La Gravette 2021 Rocastel<\/em><\/span> … Better<\/strong>
La Gravette 2022 A L’etat Pur<\/em><\/span> … Good<\/strong>
Puech Haut 2019 Lavabre<\/em><\/span> … Better<\/strong>
Vignobles Des 3 Châteaux 2019 Les Déesses Muettes Obsession<\/em><\/span> … Good<\/strong>
Vignobles Des 3 Châteaux 2020 La Célébration<\/em><\/span> … Good<\/strong>
Vignobles Des 3 Châteaux 2020 La Diablesse<\/em><\/span> … Good<\/strong><\/p>\n

____________________________<\/p>\n

MASTERCLASS WINES … <\/strong>“Pic Saint-Loup – a wine for ageing”<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

La Bergerie du Capucin 2011 Larmanella<\/em><\/span>:
Not thrilling: dark, pruney, with some VA … pluses: peppery and toasty<\/p>\n

Chateau Lancyre 2010 Vieilles Vignes<\/em><\/span>:
Still alive: good dried fruit extract with notes of licorice and good length; savoury notes with tobacco and cedar.<\/p>\n

Chateau de Cazeneuve 2010 Le Sang du Calvaire<\/em><\/span>:
80% Mourvedre; licorice, smoky, floral firm center, comes across very young in its flavour profile.<\/p>\n

Chateau de Lascaux 2009 Les Secrets<\/em><\/span>: \"PIC
wow-wine … lively, elegant, delicate yet still fresh and punchy. Subtle dried fruit leather, with a punch of acid\/tannin on the finish.<\/p>\n

Heritage du Pic Saint Loup 2006 Sainte Agnes<\/em><\/span>:
An education in bottle variation: 1) harsh with VA and coffee bean. 2) fresher, lighter, elegant dried fruit, quite drinkable and dry.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(MAY 3, 2023) … PIC SAINT-LOUP This morning I sat in at on the Masterclass about Pic Saint Loup – here are some of the highlights. One of the finest Vin de Garde regions of Languedoc. The Legend of the name:  there are three knights, named Loup \/ Guiral and Clair, are in love with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6811","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-on-the-road-with-the-grape-guy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.michaelpinkuswinereview.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6811","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.michaelpinkuswinereview.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.michaelpinkuswinereview.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.michaelpinkuswinereview.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.michaelpinkuswinereview.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6811"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wp.michaelpinkuswinereview.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6811\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.michaelpinkuswinereview.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6811"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.michaelpinkuswinereview.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6811"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.michaelpinkuswinereview.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6811"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}