Under $15 for Age-Worthy Red from the South of France!

RHONE-ESQUE FRENCH RED TO ENJOY NOW OR AGE!

“This is exactly the kind of wine I dream of and am always on the lookout for, but can only find every once in a while! This is a wine that completely over delivers in the style of wine I crave, but without breaking the bank. When I tasted this gem of a wine last week, I took every bottle the importer (Kermit Lynch) had left, which was not a lot. So, don’t hesitate on this one! This wine is from the South of France, but it drinks like a $30 Saint Joseph or Crozes Hermitage with its exploding aromas of red and black fruits, spice, violets, and grilled meat. The texture has great elegance and finesse with the perfect amount of balanced lushness, which makes this wine super easy to drink without weighing you down. My new summer BBQ sipper for sure! There is no score on this wine and the critics have missed this wine completely. But, who cares! Trust me on this one before the critics do figure it out and make this wine less obtainable. Enjoy!” –Jim Knight, The Wine House

FROM THE IMPORTER

Country: France
Region: Languedoc-Roussillon
Appellation(s): Languedoc, Languedoc Pic Saint Loup
Producer: Xavier, Pierre and Jean-Marc Ravaille
Founded: 1992
Production: 8,300 cases total annually
Farming: Biodynamic (practicing), Organic (practicing)
Blend: 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 10% Mouvèdre
Vine Age: 30-40 years
Soil Type: Clay, Limestone, Dolomite

Winery Tasting Notes: Purple and purplish-blue in color. The nose is spicy (white pepper) and mentholated, with cocoa and red fruit notes. The mouth feel is full and balanced, and pepper and liquorice notes are evident. The tannins are still tight, with a length that promises well for the future.

ABOUT ERMITAGE DU PIC ST-LOUP

Legends seem to converge at the Ermitage du Pic St-Loup. The hermitage dates back from the Middle Ages, as the former home of the bishops of Maguelone. The limestone peak or “pic” perched above the vineyards was named for the legendary Saint Thieri Loup, one of three pious, crusading, brothers and suitors to the beautiful Bertrade—after her untimely death, Loup became a hermit. In 1992, the Ravaille brothers (Xavier, Pierre, and Jean-Marc) joined forces to plant a vineyard in what has traditionally been land dominated by sheep farming and cheese production. The Ravaille family has been in the Languedoc for over one thousand years, long enough to have known Saint Loup personally. These brothers have been on a noble quest of their own to create serious wine that expresses the complexity of their terroir. The three fish on the label’s emblem therefore not only evoke the story of Saint Loup, but also their fraternal collaboration. Within the first few years, the Ravailles came to the conclusion that introducing biodynamic farming practices would allow them to make the wine they wanted. Though they have been using this methodology since 1999, as of 2012 vintage they are certified organic.

According to James E. Wilson, in his fabulous book, Terroir, the complexity and variety of soil types in the Languedoc is attributed to the geological phenomenon known as the “Languedoc-Roussillon Symphony.” This slowly evolving collision of continents and bodies of water has perpetrated upheaval, creasing, and erosion, leaving a medley of sedimentation. Soils from the Ravaille’s higher-altitude vineyard slopes vary between the dominant marly limestone and dolomite, to red and white clay, to sand, schist, and round galets. The microclimate in Pic St. Loup is also particularly unique in this otherwise dry region. Though the summers are typically very dry, cool nights and winter rainfall allow for long ripening of the grapes and sufficient water supply. The brothers keep their vinification as non-interventionist as possible. All of these special elements of their philosophy and methodology translate into wines with a purity of fruit, extraordinary delineation of layers, and a distinct sense of place.

VITICULTURE / VINIFICATION

In 2001, the vignerons of Pic Saint Loup pleaded their case to the I.N.A.O., asking for the right to their own A.O.C. As of yet, the request is still pending, however in 2007, Pic Saint Loup was granted its own denomination within the A.O.C. Languedoc (formerly known as A.O.C. Coteaux du Languedoc). Although the front label reads “Pic Saint Loup” the back label specifies that it is a designate of the general Languedoc appellation.

• Grapes are partially de-stemmed (20-40%) depending on the vintage
• Natural fermentation for all wines
• Whites are fermented and aged in foudres and demi-muids for 10 months
• Reds are aged in foudres and barriques of which only 10-20% are new oak
• “Tour de Pierres” and “Sainte Agnès” Rouges are aged for 12 months
• “Guilhem Gaucelm” is aged for 36 months
• Wines are bottled unfiltered