Product Description
90 points Wine & Spirits
"80% Mourvèdre and 20% Syrah. As the name suggests, the Roc du Pière cuvee comes from a parcel of particularly rocky, bony soil. On considerably higher ground (350 metres) than the estate vineyards used for Les Traverses, the Mourvèdre and Syrah from the Fauzan lieu-dit are now in the 35-45 year old range and rooted in active limestone (i.e. the limestone part of the soil which the vine can take up). While the varieties involved, and the south-eastern exposure, ensure this is Claux's most rich and layered wine, the cool nights, altitudes and mineral guarantee freshness, which cosset the wine's ample, fleshy, mouth filling fruit with stony, mouth-watering tannins. Of course, Claux's lo-fi winemaking tenets are also geared towards preserving the grapes natural vitality, and here the wine is aged for 12 months in a neutral 40-hectolitre foudre from the Tonnellerie Boutes. In my experience, much Minervois forged from low yielding Mourvèdre and Syrah can have all the charm of a heard of rogue elephants. This is something rather different. I saw some beautiful florals, dark cherry, anise, chocolate and spice notes while the texture is silky and mouth filling. Certainly this is the most 'Minervois' of the three with loads of fruit and genuine depth and power. This is youthful and vigorous, as saturated in purple flavors as it is in color. The tannins are intense but so is the plummy fruit, combining in a chewy generosity of flavor. The fine, smooth minerality adds a sleekness to the wine that suggests this will get more elegant with time."
Vinous Reverie Notes
Roc du Piere, as its name indicates, comes from the rockiest part of Domaine de Courbissac located outside the village of Cesseras in the lieu-dit of Fauzan. This site has a southeastern exposure. Winemaker considers this site as his premier cru vineyard.
