Domaine de La RÈserve d’O
Terrasses du Larzac & Montpeyroux - LANGUEDOC
Marie and Frédéric Chauffray have farmed their unique, windswept ridge in Terrasses du Larzac, above the stunning Herault valley, since 2004. Following in the footsteps of producers such as Jasse Castel, they have remade this corner of the Languedoc. Here the altitude and cool of the Cevennes mountains abruptly meets the sweeping Mediterranean of the lower Languedoc. Their vines are in their 30s on average, perched at 400 metres on their own roots in rocky limestone shale and clay. Breathtaking, super fresh and majestically textured, these wines are epic yet priced affordably. Hardly any oak is found in the winery, with ageing preference going to amphora and concrete. The domain is certified organic and biodynamic by Ecocert and Demeter, and they are part of the Vinifilles organisation.
THE WINES
La Réserve d’O ‘Blanc’ Saint Guilhem Le Desert IGP
The Reserve d'O Blanc is made from a single acre parcel that is co-planted with Chenin Blanc, Roussanne and Grenache Blanc. The parcel is harvested in one pass with all grapes pressed together and co-fermented, a technique combining different ripeness across the varieties to add detail and intrigue. Clever. Ageing is between amphora and cigar-shaped, Didier Dageneau inspired French oak. The wine is beguiling, full of yellow fruits, crushed spice and energy. Stunning and wildly unique, it is a dream for textured white wine lovers.
Certified organic and biodynamic. 34% Chenin, 33% Roussanne, 33% Grenache Blanc on very stony clay-limestone at 400 m. Hand-picked, spontaneous fermentation, direct pressing, traditional fermentation, no additives. Aged in stainless steel, amphora and a new, 320-litre cigar-shaped barrel. Low sulphites at bottling.
"Spicy apricots on the nose. A wine that fills the mouth, unfolding and turning, catching the light, flavours playing like sunlight on rippling water. Golden Delicious apple, cinnamon, dried apricots, tangy strawberries. Wonderful spiciness, soft tobacco-leaf notes, ground coriander. So very complex that it's actually quite difficult to describe. But it is an extraordinarily beautiful wine with depth, breadth and purpose." - Tamlyn Currin, Jancis Robinson.
La Réserve d’O ‘Rouge’ Terrasses Du Larzac AOP
At the upper limits of Terrasses du Larzac, Marie and Frédéric have farmed an exquisite, remote plot of Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault organically and biodynamically since planting. The altitude and exposure of this zone differentiates the wines from most of the others in the Languedoc, finding freshness and windswept elegance.
The final cuvée is 45% Shiraz, 45% Grenache with a 10% splash of bright Cinsault aged for 16 months in terracotta amphora. It has slurpy purple fruit, seductively sweet spices and a textured, effortless flow. This is a bottle for those chasing distant Mediterranean horizons and perfect equilibrium.
Certified Ecocert organic and Demeter biodynamic. 45% Grenache, 45% Syrah, 10% Cinsault on very stony clay-limestone at 400 m. Hand-picked, spontaneous fermentation, 25-day fermentation, no additives. Aged in raw cement vats and amphora for 16 months. A little sulphite added at bottling.
"Stunning raspberry and blackcurrant fruit that has a shimmering intensity. Seems to glow from the inside, like a ruby lit up inside coal. The texture on this wine is beautiful, like a hand-turned clay vessel that has come off the wheel and gone through the first firing, before it has been glazed, silky but rough. So much life in this wine!" - Tamlyn Currin, Jancis Robinson
FURTHER READING
To read more about Domaine de La Réserve d’O follow the link below:
https://www.leaandsandeman.co.uk/wine-producer/Domaine-de-La-Reserve-d-O-1752-04.html