"Lancyre has put on an astonishing turn of speed in recent vintages to become one of the appellation landmarks today"
Andrew Jefford, Decanter Magazine, February 2021
Greetings!

I was delighted to read this month that one of my favourite wines in the Languedoc, Château Lancyre, featured in an article by Andrew Jefford for Decanter as one of his top producers to look out for in Pic Saint Loup. So here are two bargain reds to warm your cockles as we break free of January.

‘The northern Rhone aside, nowhere in France can offer better syrah aromatic profiles than Pic St-Loup’. Andrew Jefford, Decanter February 2021.

Pic Saint Loup, a short drive from Montpellier, is one of the Grand Crus of the Languedoc. With the coolest and wettest climate amongst the region's AOPs, it experiences weather that Syrah adores - cold winters and warm summers.

Château Lancyre is an outstanding family domaine from this region and encompasses an impressive 85ha of vineyards. They have gone to great lengths to reduce their carbon footprint, including recycling all waste and utilise local suppliers, and they are now in the process of converting their entire vineyard holding to organic.

Traditional winemaking techniques produce these two inexpensive lush and fruity reds. Their La Coste d'Aleyrac cuvée is regularly offered here and we move on to the superb 2019 vintage, but I am also pleased to offer their excellent new wine for the first time, Esprit de Garrique 2018. This is made from vines just outside the Pic St-Loup AOC and offers tremendous value.

The Languedoc is a great source for some of France's best valued wines and I urge you to give these two a try.

Please let me know if you would like to place an order.


Best regards
Karl

ps They've produced this excellent video showcasing their vineyards and how they work, which is well worth a look..and perhaps an opportunity to find out how well your French fared over lockdown!

Karl Elwood, Director
Prices per case of six 75cl bottles including VAT. Offered subject to availability. Please allow up to 3 weeks for delivery
2018 Esprit de Garrique, Languedoc
From their own vineyards from a 20ha plot just outside the Pic St-Loup AOC, meaning this is an AOC Languedoc wine. 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 10% Carignan. Full of typical garrique terroir with a slightly rustic element. A deep dark red, verging on inky in colour. Notes of spice, black pepper and liquorice from the Syrah supporting fresh strawberry and cherry notes from the Grenache. A medium bodied wine with a fresh acidity and smooth tannins. Lovely and supple on the palate and an excellent food wine.

£72 per case of 6
2019 La Coste d'Aleyrac, Pic Saint Loup Rouge
The same blend as above, but from older vines with an average age of 25 years. As you’d expect, this is a more refined and polished wine, which will drink well for the next 3-4 years.

"I doubt there's a better-value wine from the Pic at present than Lancyre's tank-aged 2019 Coste d'Aleyrac. Brilliant aromatic work, oranges, damson and mulberry, in a fresh, vivid and vital wine. Drink 2021-2024." 91 points, Andrew Jefford, Decanter, February 2021.

£87 per case of 6
Price includes VAT. Minimum order 1 case. No delivery charge for orders over £250 - delivery charges are typically £15 for most of the UK. Please allow up to 3 weeks for delivery. Offered subject to availability. E&OE.


Please reply to this email if you would like to place an order or give me a call on 01273 242535.