Domaine d'Aupilhac, Coteaux du Languedoc, Montpeyroux 2010

30% Mourvèdre, 30% Carignan, 25% Syrah, 10% Grenache, 5% Cinsault

Three generations of Fadats have farmed the large, eighteen-hectare lieu-dit known as Aupilhac, in the village of Montpeyroux, across the river Hérault from Daumas Gassac and Grange des Pères. While the Fadats have farmed this land since the nineteenth century, and the vineyards date even farther back to the time of the Romans, it was not until 1989 that the current member of the Fadat family, Sylvain, finally registered the domaine as a vigneron indépendant.  Aupilhac is a special parcel for many reasons. Nestled below the ruins of the village’s château, these terraced vineyards of limestone scree and marl enjoy perfect southwest sun exposure, giving dense, chewy wines loaded with Mediterranean soul. Sylvain is not one to shy away from hard work. In an ancient volcanic amphitheatre littered with marine fossils and big chunks of limestone, he has done what few vignerons dare to do nowadays: he spent years clearing the land of boulders and shrubbery before finally planting a vineyard. The white and red produced in the stunning Cocalières site benefit from high elevation—the parcel lies well above the village at 350 meters above sea level—and cooler, northern exposure, yielding wines of incredible purity, finesse, and electrifying minerality. This was not only an enormous financial investment, but also back-breaking labor. The same work was done many centuries ago by the founders of France’s great terroirs such as Savennières and Cornas, planting the best and most promising parcels irrespective of time and money.

Sylvain has also elected to have his fruit certified as organic in Europe, a mandatory three-year conversion process. For him, this is a choice both of conscience and pragmatism. He works the soil vigorously by plowing regularly. This forces the roots to dig deeper and deeper in the soil in search of cooler, humid subsoil, which protects the vines from drought and sun. Ultimately, his rationale centers on helping achieve a natural balance. In his words, “We believe that work in the vineyards has far more influence on a wine's quality than what we do in the cellar.” The decision to achieve biodynamic certification, completed in 2014, illustrated another important step towards creating harmony in the vineyard ecosystem.

What happens in the cellars is equally compelling. Domaine d’Aupilhac’s wines find a terrific balance of ripe fruit and silky tannins, power and grace. When aged, these wines achieve a complexity rarely found in wines sold for many times the price, while their wildness and intensity makes them equally appealing young.

In 2007, Montpeyroux was granted its own denomination within the A.O.C. Coteaux du Languedoc. In addition, all wines designated as A.O.C. Coteaux du Languedoc have been changed to a new appellation, A.O.C. Languedoc. Growers have a period of time in which they must comply. Future vintages will thus read as A.O.C. Languedoc and A.O.C. Languedoc Montpeyroux.

92 Points CellarTracker

Full bodied and deeply flavored not a hint of rustic a really, really nice wine in its prime. I thought I had emptied the cellar of this a few years ago probably grabbed another vintage without noticing it, the danger of the third bottle at a dinner party. I have always loved this region and we wanted to plant a vineyard near this, oh well. 2/12/2020