La Lauze 2023
Red
Languedoc (IGP Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert), France
A red IGP Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert from vines planted in 1982 on clay-limestone and rolled-pebble soils.
Hand-harvested and destemmed, then vinified traditionally with punch-downs, pump-overs and a long maceration, with no added yeast. Devatting and pressing are done by hand. Aged 15 months in tank.
Domaine de la Perprèze
Languedoc (Terrasses du Larzac), France
Organic Languedoc estate on Terrasses du Larzac terroir. Hand-harvested, characterful wines.
Domaine de la Perprèze is named after a vineyard that has belonged to the Sanier family for more than five generations in Puéchabon, a medieval village in the Hérault north-west of Montpellier, near Aniane and Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert. Saniers are recorded in Puéchabon as early as 1548, working as labourers, farmers and, eventually, winegrowers. For years Michel Sanier helped in the family vineyards while working at the Lodève mine, including twelve years underground, and the grapes went to the Aniane cooperative. When the cooperative closed, he decided to make wine from his own plots and to farm them under organic certification. Today the domaine makes red and rosé wines in the Terrasses du Larzac, picked by hand, under cuvée names such as Grigoulet, Semalou, La Lauze and Regalâdou.