1000 years of Wine Heritage
L’Héritage du Pic-Saint-Loup is a domaine run by the Ravaille family on the heights of Saint-Mathieu-de-Tréviers. They have been here for more than 1,000 years, and in the 13th century they provided food for Bishop Maguelone, who lived in the castle of Montferrand.
Pic-Saint-Loup is located approximately 20 km north of Montpellier and is known for its excellent wines. In 2016, it was certified as an AOC for red and rosé. The region’s symbols are the sharply triangular Pic-Saint-Loup and karst plateaus. Located about 30 km inland from the Mediterranean coast and home to countless cultural treasures, AOP Pic-Saint-Loup extends over about 1500 hectares of vineyards, with 83 family farms and 3 working co-operatives. Calcareous soils predominate, and the landscape is lined with garrigue and pine forests. The combination of continental and Mediterranean climates, with hot, very dry summers and cool nights, and ample rainfall in winter to provide the moisture needed by the growing grapes, results in a well-balanced wine, due to the careful combination of these complex soils and grape varieties.
The Ravaille brothers are helping to raise the status of Languedoc wines through the success of L’Héritage du Pic-Saint-Loup. This damaine is family-owned and cooperative wineries have coexisted since the 1950s. In the early 1990s, the three Ravaille brothers took over the management and have been dedicated to making wine in a natural way for over 20 years. They focus on biodynamics and organic farming (certified by Ecocert), respecting the terroir and landscape.
The complex balance of L’Héritage du Pic-Saint-Loup wines results from the combination of noble grape varieties (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre) and multiple terroirs. The soils are variable and include pebbles, gravel, clay-limestone, and limestone, with temperature differences giving the grapes wonderful aromas. Hand harvesting is done in the cool morning hours to ensure that the vines are in perfect condition throughout the year. The grapes are harvested by hand in the cool morning hours to ensure that they are fully ripe, and are immediately vinified according to terroir and cepage to avoid stressing the grapes. The wine is aged in barrique or large oak barrels, such as demi-muids, depending on the cuvée. Their philosophy, which is consistent from cultivation to vinification and aging, results in wines with pure sweetness of red fruit, layers of complex flavors, and a strong minerality and pure grape flavor that brings even the soil to mind.
The two cuvées, TOUR DE PIERRES and SAINTE AGNÈS, offer excellent consistency and value for money. The special, ultra-concentrated GUILHEM GAUCELM requires several years of aging to express all its complexity. L’Héritage du Pic-Saint-Loup has received high praise from many wine critics. Robert Parker gave the L’Héritage du Pic-Saint-Loup wines a high score of 90+ points, describing them as “powerful and elegant, yet with complex aromas and flavors. Decanter magazine’s review praised the wine as “a wine that makes the most of the rich terroir of the region” and awarded it a Gold Medal. Wine Spectator also praised the wine as “well-balanced, full-bodied, and delicate.
Thus, L’Héritage du Pic-Saint-Loup enjoys a great reputation among wine connoisseurs and professionals for its history and quality. (Mr.Bacchus)
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