CERTIFIED ORGANIC
30% Roussanne, 30% Vermentino, 20% Grenache Blanc, 20% Marsanne
The Languedoc is certainly not known for its white wines, but planting the right grapes in the right site can yield great results. Retaining freshness is the crucial determinant here, as the hot meridional climate favors low acidity, and grapes like Marsanne and Grenache Blanc are lacking in natural acidity to begin with. At 350 meters above sea level, Les Cocalières experiences diurnal temperature shifts crucial to preserving this acid, while the northwestern sun exposure prevents excessive ripeness and correspondingly flabby wines. The vineyard also boasts a curious and unusual soil: the land was once a lake that formed after the eruption of an ancient volcano, resulting in a mixture of limestone and basalt—a rare geological phenomenon. Sylvain Fadat, founder of Domaine d’Aupilhac, ferments the juice wild and ages the wine for more than a year in neutral casks, where it completes its malolactic fermentation before an unfiltered bottling. The Cocalières blanc perfectly reflects its terroir: taut, mineral—almost salty—and suggestive of the wild thyme and fennel that grow abundantly around the vines. It also has tremendous aging potential; a 2002 opened recently showed astonishing complexity, reminiscent of honey, almonds, wildflowers, and liquid rocks. —Anthony Lynch
30% Roussanne, 30% Vermentino, 20% Grenache Blanc, 20% Marsanne
The Languedoc is certainly not known for its white wines, but planting the right grapes in the right site can yield great results. Retaining freshness is the crucial determinant here, as the hot meridional climate favors low acidity, and grapes like Marsanne and Grenache Blanc are lacking in natural acidity to begin with. At 350 meters above sea level, Les Cocalières experiences diurnal temperature shifts crucial to preserving this acid, while the northwestern sun exposure prevents excessive ripeness and correspondingly flabby wines. The vineyard also boasts a curious and unusual soil: the land was once a lake that formed after the eruption of an ancient volcano, resulting in a mixture of limestone and basalt—a rare geological phenomenon. Sylvain Fadat, founder of Domaine d’Aupilhac, ferments the juice wild and ages the wine for more than a year in neutral casks, where it completes its malolactic fermentation before an unfiltered bottling. The Cocalières blanc perfectly reflects its terroir: taut, mineral—almost salty—and suggestive of the wild thyme and fennel that grow abundantly around the vines. It also has tremendous aging potential; a 2002 opened recently showed astonishing complexity, reminiscent of honey, almonds, wildflowers, and liquid rocks. —Anthony Lynch
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