Grenache

About the Winery

Mas Carlot

Mas Carlot is situated in the south of the Rhône Valley, extending across 76 hectares of pebbly land southeast of Nîmes. Originally a 17th century farm, this beautiful estate was resurrected in the 1960's by the Blanc family—it is currently run Cyril Mares of the neighbouring and equally reputable property, Mas Bressades.

The appellation of Costières de Nîmes used to be considered part of eastern Languedoc but the climate, soil, topography and wine are far closer to those just over the river in the Southern Côtes du Rhône. It is now a region very much on the up and is widely recognized as a great source of excellent value wine.

About the Winery

Pago Aylés

Pago Aylés was founded by Federico Ramón, who in 2003 began his dream of classifying this unique land as the first Vino de Pago in the Aragon region. In the Spanish wine quality pyramid, the Pago stands as a top tier or grand cru winery. Just before Federico died, his dream came true in 2010, as Aylés became the 10th Vino de Pago in Spain.

Today his three children continue to produce wines from this special land. The vineyard site has a long history of winemaking, dating back to the 12th century by Spanish monks. Influenced by the River Huerva and the Monte San Pablo mountain, the soil is a mixture of clay, limestone and chalk – ideal for making high-quality wine. Caves, ravines and old river beds can be found all over the estate, which is brimming with wildlife.

About the Winery

Château de Montfaucon

Just across the Rhone river from the beautiful vineyards of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, the Lirac appellation extends itself on the low hills alongside the river. The history of Château de Montfaucon dates back to the 11th century when the castle's first tower was built. The castle's role in history was strategic; the Rhône River was the border between the French Kingdom and the Holy Roman German Empire. Montfaucon was one of many castles and fortresses along the Rhône River constructed to guard the border.

Rodolphe de Pins took over the family estate of Montfaucon in 1995 and subsequently rebuilt the winery and began practicing sustainable agriculture. He honed his winemaking skills in Barossa at Henschke and Vieux Telegraphe in Châteauneuf du Pape before returning to Lirac, so needless to say, his familiarity with the local varieties is well established.

About the Winery

Domaine Frédéric Brouca

Frédéric grew up in Normandy and met his Canadian wife Elaine at university in Lille, Northern France. They live a nomadic lifestyle (Canada, India, Singapore and USA) though Frédéric spends about half of his time in Faugères. Since early age, Frédéric had a calling for farming and the fierce desire to become a winegrower. After completing a Masters Degree in Finance in 2001, Frédéric went back to college for a Sommelier diploma and started his career as a Burgundy wine broker.

In late 2012, Frédéric and Elaine were fortunate to take over 25 acres of old vines in Faugères, organically farmed for twenty years and deeply rooted in schist soils.

2013 was the inaugural vintage for Domaine Frédéric Brouca. In his modest winery in the village of Laurens, Frédéric is creating a new vision for Faugères wines; fresh, vibrant and made without artifice. Nothing revolutionary, simply returning to our grandparent's ideology of farming and winemaking to craft 'Vins Vivants'. The Faugères Appellation is in the heart of Languedoc in the Hérault department. Here, winemaking dates back to the Greek times and was developed during the Roman Era. It wasn't until the early 1900's, however, that the wines became more widely known for its unique schist soils and moderate Mediterranean climate. These villages are heavily reliant on wine as an important part of their culture and economy.

The area is stunning with mountain views and close proximity to the Mediterranean Sea (20 miles / 30 kms). Faugères has a long history of responsible farming. It boasts the highest percentage of organic vineyards for any AOC in all of France with almost 50% of farmers making the choice.

About the Winery

Domaine Peter Sichel

Tucked away in a hidden valley in a remote corner of the Languedoc-Roussillon lies a truly special place: the village of Cucugnan. Historically, there was much wine produced here, given its isolated location, but gradually the local people moved away to the towns. There are now just 130 people living in the village. As the vineyards were left mostly abandoned, the local flora and fauna were permitted to thrive. Cucugnan became a unique area, full of biodiversity, which shines through in the rare plants and flowers that grow there today.

Peter Sichel (of the Bordeaux négociant family) first discovered this valley on a road trip with a friend in the 1960s. He was so spellbound by the place that he bought a house there and, in 1988, planted a vineyard. The project grew, albeit slowly, but the arrival of Peter’s thoughtful and environmentally inspired grandson, Alexander Sichel, has turned the Domaine Peter Sichel project completely around.

Since 2019, Alexander has converted the estate to organics and biodynamics, achieving organic certification in 2022. Furthermore, he is committed to supporting polyculture in and around the vineyards, even enlisting the help of a PhD programme from a Dutch university to identify the incredible array of plant life in the vineyard.

Alexander’s grandfather planted the vines between 30-40 years old. Parcels of Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, and Roussanne lie mostly on the best slopes of the valley. Starting from 350-500 metres’ altitude, these slopes have very little topsoil; the roots go almost straight into the bedrock. The viticultural team here has done much work to focus on the unique characteristics of each parcel to express the terroir of this stunning valley in the most authentic way.

About the Winery

Domaine Peter Sichel

Tucked away in a hidden valley in a remote corner of the Languedoc-Roussillon lies a truly special place: the village of Cucugnan. Historically, there was much wine produced here, given its isolated location, but gradually the local people moved away to the towns. There are now just 130 people living in the village. As the vineyards were left mostly abandoned, the local flora and fauna were permitted to thrive. Cucugnan became a unique area, full of biodiversity, which shines through in the rare plants and flowers that grow there today.

Peter Sichel (of the Bordeaux négociant family) first discovered this valley on a road trip with a friend in the 1960s. He was so spellbound by the place that he bought a house there and, in 1988, planted a vineyard. The project grew, albeit slowly, but the arrival of Peter’s thoughtful and environmentally inspired grandson, Alexander Sichel, has turned the Domaine Peter Sichel project completely around.

Since 2019, Alexander has converted the estate to organics and biodynamics, achieving organic certification in 2022. Furthermore, he is committed to supporting polyculture in and around the vineyards, even enlisting the help of a PhD programme from a Dutch university to identify the incredible array of plant life in the vineyard.

Alexander’s grandfather planted the vines between 30-40 years old. Parcels of Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, and Roussanne lie mostly on the best slopes of the valley. Starting from 350-500 metres’ altitude, these slopes have very little topsoil; the roots go almost straight into the bedrock. The viticultural team here has done much work to focus on the unique characteristics of each parcel to express the terroir of this stunning valley in the most authentic way.

About the Winery

Domaine Peter Sichel

Tucked away in a hidden valley in a remote corner of the Languedoc-Roussillon lies a truly special place: the village of Cucugnan. Historically, there was much wine produced here, given its isolated location, but gradually the local people moved away to the towns. There are now just 130 people living in the village. As the vineyards were left mostly abandoned, the local flora and fauna were permitted to thrive. Cucugnan became a unique area, full of biodiversity, which shines through in the rare plants and flowers that grow there today.

Peter Sichel (of the Bordeaux négociant family) first discovered this valley on a road trip with a friend in the 1960s. He was so spellbound by the place that he bought a house there and, in 1988, planted a vineyard. The project grew, albeit slowly, but the arrival of Peter’s thoughtful and environmentally inspired grandson, Alexander Sichel, has turned the Domaine Peter Sichel project completely around.

Since 2019, Alexander has converted the estate to organics and biodynamics, achieving organic certification in 2022. Furthermore, he is committed to supporting polyculture in and around the vineyards, even enlisting the help of a PhD programme from a Dutch university to identify the incredible array of plant life in the vineyard.

Alexander’s grandfather planted the vines between 30-40 years old. Parcels of Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, and Roussanne lie mostly on the best slopes of the valley. Starting from 350-500 metres’ altitude, these slopes have very little topsoil; the roots go almost straight into the bedrock. The viticultural team here has done much work to focus on the unique characteristics of each parcel to express the terroir of this stunning valley in the most authentic way.

About the Winery

Domaine Frédéric Brouca

Frédéric grew up in Normandy and met his Canadian wife Elaine at university in Lille, Northern France. They live a nomadic lifestyle (Canada, India, Singapore and USA) though Frédéric spends about half of his time in Faugères. Since early age, Frédéric had a calling for farming and the fierce desire to become a winegrower. After completing a Masters Degree in Finance in 2001, Frédéric went back to college for a Sommelier diploma and started his career as a Burgundy wine broker.

In late 2012, Frédéric and Elaine were fortunate to take over 25 acres of old vines in Faugères, organically farmed for twenty years and deeply rooted in schist soils.

2013 was the inaugural vintage for Domaine Frédéric Brouca. In his modest winery in the village of Laurens, Frédéric is creating a new vision for Faugères wines; fresh, vibrant and made without artifice. Nothing revolutionary, simply returning to our grandparent's ideology of farming and winemaking to craft 'Vins Vivants'. The Faugères Appellation is in the heart of Languedoc in the Hérault department. Here, winemaking dates back to the Greek times and was developed during the Roman Era. It wasn't until the early 1900's, however, that the wines became more widely known for its unique schist soils and moderate Mediterranean climate. These villages are heavily reliant on wine as an important part of their culture and economy.

The area is stunning with mountain views and close proximity to the Mediterranean Sea (20 miles / 30 kms). Faugères has a long history of responsible farming. It boasts the highest percentage of organic vineyards for any AOC in all of France with almost 50% of farmers making the choice.