
2020 Domaine La Terrasse d'Elise Pradel





WINEMAKER: Xavier Braujou
REGION: Languedoc, FR
VARIETAL: Cinsault
VITICULTURE: Organic/Biodynamic
"Cinsault produces the lightest coloured and bodied wines in the South, it's the Ploussard of the Languedoc, people say Pinot Noir, but it is not similar and it is more fresh and juicy. This is a delicious wine, very pure, elegant raspberry and cherry flavours - it's winsome and very pleasurable if not super complex. Nonetheless very attractive drinking and very delicious!" - Andrew Guard
One of the great discoveries for me so far are the wines of Xavier Braujou's La Terrasse d’Elise. Here we have an estate producing wines from a special terroir in the heart of the Terrasses du Larzac, his vines between those of Mas de Daumas Gassac and Granges des Peres, what a holy trinity. The land here is glacial scree on top of limestone and it imbues the wines with a freshness and clarity that is exceptional, these are Languedoc wines of uncanny finesse and elegance.
Xavier’s vision is simple “if the vineyard is clear and beautiful, the wines will be too”. He is following organic and biodynamic principals. The grapes are picked entirely by hand. In the cellar Xavier is as little interventionist as possible. The ageing is in old barrels or in stainless steel tanks. Ultimately here are wines that display an incredible suppleness and a beautiful richness on the palate.