Minervois la Liviniere, Minervois, Languedoc, Sud de France, FranceA year down the road from our last tasting, Clos d'Ora is only beginning to wake up in the bottle; even so, there is little doubt it is the essence of Gérard Bertrand and a two-decade-long dream to capture the spiritual experience Bertrand first felt when he stepped onto the property in 1997. I know what he means after my first visit to the nine-hectare stone-walled vineyard. It was magical, beginning with the intense smell of garrigue that washed down the vineyard as we walked the sloping site being worked by a massive mule and plowman. The old vine carignan and grenache, beside which Bertrand planted syrah and mourvèdre, are farmed biodynamically at 220 metres above sea level over a mix of chalk, sandstone, and marl soils. The grapes are harvested and macerated separately in concrete before spending a year in French oak. A dense, concentrated wine abounds with youthful energy and enthusiasm, still tightly wound yet revealing a glimpse of the future. Cherry, wild herbs, leather, and sweet black plum fill the aromas. The attack is lush with velvety tannins, white pepper, savoury black fruit, fresh fig, licorice, and smoky tobacco. It has the balance to be drunk now, but really, it still requires three to five more years to reach its tasting plateau, where it should rest for another decade or more.Tasted: 15 February 2021Tasted by: Prices:
Minervois la Liviniere, Minervois, Languedoc, Sud de France, FranceClos d'Ora is the essence of Gérard Bertrand's 20+ year long dream to capture the unique terroir, and spiritual experience Bertrand first felt on the Minervois la Livinière property in 1997. He considers this his first Grand Cru, and it is treated as such throughout. This Demeter certified blend of syrah, Mourvèdre, carignan, and grenache grows around 200m, with the soils worked by horse. The grapes are harvested and macerated separately in concrete before spending a year in French oak. The syrah is destalked; the grenache and Mourvèdre are destemmed and lightly crushed; and the carignan is whole bunch at higher temperatures. Dark and brooding blackberries, black plum, dark earth, charcoal, resinous herbs fill the dense, structural palate, ripe and intense with the southern France sun. Grippy and peppery, firm tannins house this to an amply spiced finish. This is a baby right now; give this some time in cellar and enjoy with lamb.Tasted: 18 February 2021Tasted by: Prices:
Minervois la Liviniere, Minervois, Languedoc, Sud de France, FranceClos d'Ora, the Latin ora-ae for word, prayer, contained between the Alpha and the Omega, is the symbolic beginning and end of all things. It is the essence of Gérard Bertrand and a two-decade-long dream to capture the unique terroir (and spiritual experience Bertrand first felt on the property in 1997). Our first visit to the nine-hectare stone-walled vineyard was magical, beginning with the intense smell of garrigue that washed down the vineyard as we walked the slope. The old vine carignan and grenache, beside which Bertrand planted syrah and mourvèdre, are farmed biodynamically at 220 metres above sea level. A mule is used to cultivate its chalk, sandstone, and marl soils gently. The grapes are harvested and macerated separately in concrete before spending a year in French oak. A dense, concentrated wine abounds with youthful energy and enthusiasm, still tightly wound yet revealing a glimpse of the future. Cherry, wild herbs, leather, and sweet black plum fill the aromas. The attack is lush with velvety tannins and peppery, savoury black fruit, fresh fig, licorice and smoky tobacco. It has the balance to be drunk now, but really, it needs three to five more years to reach its tasting plateau, and it will last long after that.Tasted: 17 February 2020Tasted by: Prices:
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