Domaine Les Aurelles - Languedoc Aurel rouge 2017

Bettane & Desseauve

About the wine:

Very fine tannin, intense vinosity, a slender finish, this is a slightly fresher vintage with accomplished balance. Definitely one of Languedoc's greats.

About the domain :

Basile Saint-Germain is a perfectionist who goes as far as he can, from the vine to the cellar, to make wines in the Pézenas area that meet his exacting standards as a wine taster. Close to Pézenas, some thirty kilometers from the Mediterranean, his Domaine des Aurelles, covering just ten hectares, enjoys a dream terroir, unique in its kind, combining basalt and gravel, and a breathtaking landscape stretching as far as the Cévennes. One of his most important demands has been that his wines stand the test of time, and he has been committed to this since the beginning of his adventure in 1995. Solen, the first cuvée, outshines most Languedoc wines, while Aurel is the grand vin. Both cuvées are marketed after a long maturation period in the bottle, and are wood-free. Aurel blanc is unique, released after several years in the cellar: this is a great gastronomic wine, one of the most advanced bottles in the Languedoc quality approach.

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

About the domain :

Since 1995, Basile Saint-Germain and his wife Caroline have been working this vineyard on the Villafranchian slopes around Nizas with an ecological commitment that borders on the sacred (no fertilizers, no weedkillers, no pesticides). Low yields, acute attention to detail, a rare willingness to release bottles only after very long ageing in enamelled vats: everything here contributes to making civilized, digestible wines with subtle fruit, polished and slowly mellowed by time. However, the pleasure is not always immediate: even after several years in bottle, the wines are sensitive to temperature and service. We are keeping a close eye on the development of this estate.