Languedoc-Roussillon

Originally, this was to be a rosé, but Amélie didn't like the result, so she decided to make a lighter, more elegant and refreshing red. The base of Grenache comes from an old hillside vineyard just behind their house and winery, which in turn is immediately south of the village of Montpeyroux, while the Syrah and Carignan come from nearby sites. The wine sings of its Mediterranean heritage, rich with licorice and tapenade in a long, lean, tension-filled profile. And check out its refreshingly low alcohol!

The grapes are de-stemmed and raised entirely in tank. The SO2 additions are minimal and done following devatting, then again during élevage, and a third time after blending. Typically the total amounts to 25 mg/l, which is less than Demeter's threshold for natural wines (Demeter's thresholds are 100 mg/l for organic wines; 70 mg/l for biodynamic wines; and 30 mg/l for natural wines).

The label was designed by her daughter Gabrielle and son Paul (then six and four respectively) with help from friends. That, plus the fact that the cuvée is the most recent in the domaine's range, accounts for the name Petitou--in spirit, the little one. Production averages 7,500 bottles.

-Importer notes (Vintage 59)

Le Clos is an isolated 2.22 acre parcel of vines on a south-facing slope surrounded by forest. It's in the commune of Montpeyroux but Amélie labels the wine under the Terrasses du Larzac appellation to keep it separate from her Montpeyroux bottling, which comes from a number of different sites scattered about the commune and is given a different élevage.

Le Clos was planted in 2001 to 40% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre and 30% Syrah. That reflects more or less the blend in the bottle. All of the varieties are hand-harvested, but the Syrah inevitably is harvested and vinified first, while the Grenache and Mourvèdre are normally harvested later and together and are co-fermented. All ferments are native, and the wine is aged for ~18 months in 600L demi-muids, 20% of which are new. A normal year sees 300 cases.

-Importer notes (Vintage 59)

More than a century before champagne, the Benedictine Monks of the Abbey of Saint-Hilaire in the Southern foothills of Limoux had created France's Very First Sparkling Wine. The Blanquette Brut predominantly uses a local grape variety, the Mauzac. Up to 10 percent of Chenin and Chardonnay are permitted. Fresh, Lively, Crisp and Dry." - Winemaker