“Elegant, complex nose. Floral notes initially then opens to red and dark fruit, spice and chocolate. Lovely texture on the palate, the tannins dense but suave. A zesty freshness provides balance. Overall, very refined.”
by James Lawther MW @ Jancis Robinson Blog (17 May 2023)

“In my glass this month : Domaine de l’Hortus in Pic St Loup has been working at the frontiers of elegance, finesse and delicacy in recent years, and the 2019 Grande Cuve is a triumphant vindication of this approach. Fragrant, quietly floral aromas, then a concentrated, bright, drivingly pure flavour, fresh yet nuanced, bursting with life, beautifully crafted. Would the world’s top sommeliers guess its origin ? I don’t know – but they’ll like it. No trouble, either, finding food partners for a wine of understated classicism like this. Languedoc is changing.”
by Andrew Jefford from Decanter Magazine

This wine is exclusively crafted with old vines coming from the best parcels of Hortus vineyard.

Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence / Ryuichi Sakamoto – From Ryuichi Sakamoto: Playing the Piano 2022

Hortus
Grande CuvePic St Loup

AOP Pic Saint Loup

Pic Saint-Loup10%-30%150300

SyrahMourvdreGrenache

4,0007,150

25-30

6225400L12

(Jancis Robinson’s rating: 17 points)

L’Hortus Grand Cuvee Bouillabaisse

This wine is exclusively crafted with old vines coming from the best parcels of Hortus vineyard.

The domaine is a family estate lying in a valley between two facing limestone cliffs, the Pic Saint Loup and the Montagne de L’Hortus. The word hortus is latin for “garden”, a reference to the many gardens the Romans found, to their surprise, when they arrived in the area. Long before then, this valley and the many natural caves embedded in the surroundings, protective mountains are thought to have been one of the areas where Neanderthals found refuge.

Wines from the great terroir of Pic St Loup. The Grande Cuve wines, red and white, have their roots in the propertys loveliest land, where water supply is the most reliable. The land parcels benefit from the best weather conditions and the soils both drain well and are sufficiently deep to ensure water reserves protect the vines from summer drought. This results in homogenous maturity with the grapes developing an excellent balance between the quality of the tannins, acidity and aromas. These qualities mean more concentrated work with the grapes (long maceration) and the wine (long maturing in casks).

Appellation:
AOP Pic Saint Loup, Southern France

Country of Origin:
France

Type:
Red/Rouge (Still)

Terroir:
Land parcels on mid-slope. Brown soil formed from limestone scree dating from the Cretaceous period. Hill slopes varying from 10 to 30% at altitudes from 150 300 metres.

Grape Varieties:
Syrah, Mourvdre, Grenache

Yields:
25 30hl/ha for land parcels with a density of between 4000 and 7150 plants per hectare.

Vinification:
Grapes are de-stemmed and crushed. 25-30 days in vats.

Maturing:
6 months in vats before initial blending then 12 months in 225 and 400 litre oak casks. These can be new, or of 1 or 2 wines.

Tasting Notes:
(Jancis Robinson’s rating: 17 points)
Elegant, complex nose. Floral notes initially then opens to red and dark fruit, spice and chocolate. Lovely texture on the palate, the tannins dense but suave. A zesty freshness provides balance. Overall, very refined.

Food Pairing:
White wines are generally pair best with fish and seafood. However, red wines from southern France are best suited for seafood for locals because of the generous herbal and fruity aromas. Light tannins from red wines also interact beautifully with fish oils on the palate. L’Hortus Grand Cuvee is rich enough to be served withBouillabaisse, that helps to bring out the umami.