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2016 Chateau Puech-Haut La Closerie du Pic Rosé Pic Saint Loup, Languedoc, FranceSeptember 17, 2017
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2015 Domaine de l’Hortus Grande Cuvée Pic Saint Loup, Languedoc, FranceSeptember 20, 2017
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2015 Chateau Puech-Haut La Closerie du Pic Rouge, Pic Saint Loup, LanguedocSeptember 21, 2017
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Pic Saint Loup is a mountain and a wine-producing appellation area surrounding it in the southern France’s Languedoc wine region.
Location: The Northernmost AOP in Languedoc
Located between the Mediterranean Sae and the Cévennes mountain ranges, the Pic Saint Loup wine appellation area starts to the South around the suburbs of Montpellier city, and surrounds both the Pic Saint Loup (658 metres above sea level) and the Causse de l’Hortus (512m) mountains.
The Jurassic limestone Pic Saint Loup mountain that gave its name to the wine-production area, is a distinctive and recognized feature of the zone (see header photo).
To the North, the appellation reaches the border between the départements of Gard and Hérault.
Climate & Soils
Located slightly inland, but only 30 kilometres (18 miles) from French coast of the Mediterranean, Pic Saint-Loup’s climate is certainly Mediterranean, featuring relatively low rainfall, hot summers and mild winters.
But the presence of the Pic Saint Loup and the Hortus mountains themselves, as well as the proximity to the Cévennes mountain ranges bring to the local climate a continental influence, resulting in cooler nights and greater temperature variations between day and night, especially during véraison (when the grape change color from green to red in the heart of summer). This combined with the local limestone soils allow grapes and wines to retain higher levels of acidity and fruit freshness than warmer areas in the plains of Languedoc.
Vineyards are planted on a variety of soils containing various proportions of limestone, dolomites, gravels, or marls. These limestone-rich soils are particularly important for viticulture in area, as they allow good drainage of excessive rains, as well as good water retention during dry episodes.
Because of the particular shape of its mountains, the Pic Saint Loup zone receives very irregular amounts of rainfall, with heavy rains falling in short periods of time followed by long phases of drought, the local soil’s features dramatically help smoothing the natural irrigation of the vineyards.
Grape Varieties & Wines
Pic Saint Loup AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protegée) covers exclusively red and rosé wines.
Local producers can and do produce white wines, but those fall under the broader Languedoc AOP appellation.
To be granted the Pic Saint Loup AOP tittle wines must be made exclusively using the following grape varieties:
Reds Wines:
- Main grapes : syrah noire, grenache noir, and mourvèdre noir.
At least 2 of the above grape varieties MUST be included in the final blend to claim the appellation.
- Secondary grapes: cinsault noir and carignan noir.
Those are allowed in the blend but their vineyard area must not exceed 10% of a producer’s total vineyard surface area included in the Pic Saint Loup AOP.
Rosés:
- Main grapes : syrah noire, grenache noir, and mourvèdre noir.
As for reds, at least 2 of the above grape varieties MUST be included in the final blend to claim the appellation.
- Secondary grape: cinsault noir.
Cinsault is allowed in the blend but its vineyard area must not exceed 30% of a producer’s total vineyard surface area included in the Pic Saint Loup AOP.
Key Figures of Pic Saint Loup Wines & Vineyards
The Coteaux du Languedoc – Pic Saint Loup AOC appellation was granted and regulated in 1994. It is now called Languedoc Pic Saint Loup AOP.
The area of appellation covers about 1500 hectares (3700 acres) in total over 13 villages north of Montpellier, stretching 25km (15 miles) from North to South, and 10km (6 miles) from East to West.
About 1,000 ha of vineyards are planted in the appellation area (2.5K acres), producing about 4 million litres of wine (equivalent to 5.3 million 750-ml bottles) every vintage.
Winemaking in Pic Saint Loup
For making red wines, two types of vinifications are used: the traditional one (about 90% of the total production) and the carbonic maceration (similar to the winemaking process used in Beaujolais Nouveau, for 10% of the production).
Rosé wines are made using either saignée or direct pressing of the grapes.
Today, all 3 cooperative wineries in the appellation and half of the private wineries use oak barrels to age some of their wines.
Many cuvées are aged in wine barrels for about 12 months, while some top selections may be aged in oak for up to 24 months.
Recommended Pic Saint Loup Wines, Ratings & Reviews
List of Producers & Wineries
Chateau Valcyre Gaffinel
Domaine de Viastres
JeanJean Hubert et Fils
Chateau de Valflaunes
Domaine St Daumary
Domaine Pech Tort
Bergerie du Capucin
Mas Gourdou
Mas de Fournel
Chateau de Valcyre Benezech
Domaine des Moucheres
Chateau La Roque
Mas Bruguiere
Chateau de l’euziere
Domaine Les Vigneaux
Chemin des Reves
Chateau de Lascaux
Domaine de la Vieille
Domaine Devois du Claus
Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup
Domaine Chazalon
MDB
Chateau de Lascours
Cignobles des 3 Chateaux
Chateau de Cazeneuve
Clos Marie
Mas Theleme
Mas de l’Oncle
Domaine de la Salade St Henry
Mas de Farjou
Domaine La Fournaca
Domaine du Gres
Le Clos de la Matane
Chateau Montel
Domaine Desvabre
Domaine Les Grandes Costes
Mas Peyrolle
Domaine de Villeneuve
Domaine de Morties
La Cour des Loups
Domaine Lavabre
Mas Foulaquier
Domaine Haut Lirou
Mas de Figuier
Chateau Fontanes
Clos des Reboussiers
Domaine Zelige-Caravent
Domaine Pierre Clavel
Les Vignerons du Pic
Domaine de Mirabel
Domaine de Sigaliere
Domaine de Pinville
Pic Saint Loup Map
Learn more about Pic Saint Loup on www.pic-saint-loup.com
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