Domaine Les Aurelles - Languedoc Solen rouge 2017

Bettane & Desseauve

About wine:

With unparalleled vinosity, it displays a dynamic, powerful attack and a racy, delicate finish with very fine tannins.

About the estate:

Close to Pézenas, about thirty kilometers from the Mediterranean, the Domaine des Aurelles, covering just under ten hectares, enjoys a dream terroir, unique in its kind, combining basalt and gravel in a breathtaking landscape that stretches as far as the Cévennes. Solen, the first cuvée, surpasses most wines from the Languedoc. Aurel is the grand vin. Both cuvées are sold after a considerable period of bottle aging and are not aged in wood. Aurel blanc is unique, distributed after several years in the cellar: it is a great gastronomic wine. Recently taken over by Matthieu Gufflet (Château Guiraud in Sauternes), a new chapter is beginning. a truly great wine for gastronomy. Recently taken over by Matthieu Gufflet (Château Guiraud in Sauternes), a new chapter is beginning.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About wine:

Solen, Carignan, and Grenache, completely destemmed, never suffer from the heat of the vintage. After more than 10 years of biodynamic farming, the terroir retains its salinity and produces a remarkably mellow red wine, with perfect grace and a finish that soars.

About the estate:

In 30 years, the estate founded by Basile and Caroline Saint-Germain has become a standard-bearer for the revival of the Languedoc region and a driving force for Pézenas. At the end of 2022, the estate was bought by Bordeaux entrepreneur Matthieu Gufflet, owner of Château de Callac in Graves, Château Guiraud in Sauternes, and Château des Bachelards in Fleurie. Two years later, Basile Saint-Germain handed over the reins to Sandrine Garbay, director of the Gufflet estates, who continued the collaboration with oenologist Margarethe Chapelle. The 8.5 hectares of vines, cultivated biodynamically without certification, are planted on Quaternary terraces covered with rounded pebbles and a few basalt flows from the volcanoes of Auvergne. The grapes are then vinified in a bioclimatic cellar, whose energy resilience favors aging. The harvest, subject to rigorous sorting and aged for four to five years, produces a small range of wines of rare purity.

James Suckling

About wine:

I love the wild spicy notes that emerge, ranging from clove and paprika to cardamom and licorice, in addition to aromas of plum and wild raspberry. There are also hints of orange. It is a medium-bodied to full-bodied wine, full of verve and energy. The tannins are fine and elegant. The finish is lively. 60% Carignan and 40% Grenache. Drink now or cellar.