Domaine de l’Argenteille
I had met Roger Jeanjean (no relation to the other larger producer) at a number of wine fairs and finally the opportunity for a cellar visit presented itself. But first we went to look at the vineyards, which are all within the appellations of Terrasses du Larzac and St Saturnin, close to the village of St Félix de Lodez. There are views of the village of Montpeyroux with the Rocher des Vierges above, the village of Arboras with its château, and even the Pic St Loup in the distance. Roger works with his son Victor and altogether they have 14 hectares in 15 plots, or ilots, as they call them. It was a sunny spring morning, and the birds were singing everything was looking very lush after the recent rains. Even the stream, the Argenteille from which the estate takes its name, was more than a trickle.
Roget talked about the histoires de clochers, or parish politics. St Saturnin includes vineyards in Arboras, Jonquières and St Guiraud, but not St Félix. And it aspires to cru status, an appellation in its own right, without the additional mention of Languedoc. It is also part of the Terrasses du Larzac. Roger admitted that the Terrasses du Larzac are plus porteur, or enjoy greater recognition than St. Saturnin. However, the coop of St Saturnin was the first cooperative in the department of the Hérault to actually put wine in bottle, back in 1953. It was very difficult to persuade people to accept the wine in bottle. And in the 1980s St Saturnin had a good local reputation, including for its rosé
Roger explained the topography. The vineyards lie at the foot of the village, at the feet of the Larzac. There are patches of garrigues as well as vineyards, and the nights are cool, with the influence of Mont Baudile, often termed the sentinel of the Languedoc. They are protected from frost and did not suffer unlike some neighbouring areas in 2021. The vineyards are registered for HVE and with Terra Vitis and eventually they might consider farming biodynamically, but you also need to consider the financial viability. Terra Vitis takes biodiversity into consideration. They talked about irrigation. In theory it should be possible from 2025 or 2026, with water coming from the lac de Salagou. It would of course be strictly controlled, with an agreed quantity of water per hectare, and per annum.
Their oldest vines are Carignan planted in 1950 and they also have the oldest Mourvèdre planted in 1982, by Roger’s uncle when he was the director of the cooperative of St Saturnin.
Roger’s parents were also members of the St Saturnin cooperative, but when he inherited the vineyards in 2011, he wanted to make his own wine. And produced just 60 hectolitres that first year. He then did some extensive replanting and after borrowing space in other cellars, he built his own streamlined cellar in 2016. And his son Victor joined him.
And back at the cellars, we tasted from vat and barrel. Some Syrah from barriques was nicely perfumed with a streak of tannin and a rich finish. Another Syrah from a demi muid was more restrained on the nose with the impact of new oak on the palate. Victor enthused about working from barrel. Another Syrah from older vines was more intense and more concentrated, with a rich finish. They make various cuvées of Terrasses du Larzac as well as an IGP St Guilhem le Désert, a Carignan Cuvée 103 which is given 103 days of maceration. The 2022 vintage, which was about to be bottled, was rich, but elegant and perfumed. 2022 was quite a concentrated year. And 2023 was particularly good for Syrah. 2023 Tramontane, tasted from vat and a blend of 55% Syrah, 35% Carignan and 10% Grenache, was nicely perfumed with elegant fruit. And Cuvée Garric, Terrasses du Larzac, from Syrah and Mourvedre with a little Grenache, with four weeks maceration and some micro-oxygenation, had some spicy fruit on the nose, with a balancing streak of tannin on the palate, balanced with more spicy fruit. This was the wine that Roger first made in 2011.
Roger does not make any white wine, thought he is planning to plant 1.5 hectares at Arboras, and who knows, the Terrasses du Larzac may include white wine in due course.
And now for wines in bottle
2023 Ostrea Rosé, St Saturnin – 8€
Roger’s rosé is quite substantial, a rosé de repas, with a high proportion of Grenache, as well as some Syrah and Mourvèdre. The colour is delicate, with a dry palate and a fresh vinous finish. They pick the Grenache slightly under ripe in order to retain the natural acidity. Roger observed that St Saturnin rosé used to be much deeper in colour and more vinous on the palate, with the Mourvèdre, but today the trend is to follow the Côtes de Provence.
2020 Tramontane, Terrasses du Larzac – 11.00€
A blend of 45% Syrah, 10% Grenache and 35% Carignan, with an initial blending after the harvest, and then fine tuning in January or February. Medium colour, Fresh peppery fruit on the nose and palate. A refreshing finish. Nicely balanced.
2019 Garric, Terrasses du Larzac – 14.00€
45% Syrah, 30% Mourvèdre and 25% Grenache. A much more structured nose and palate. Quite firm and concentrated and tannin, with some peppery fruit. Tramontane is easier and less complex.
2020 Secrets du Rochers, Terrasses du Larzac – 18.00€
50% Mourvèdre, 40% Syrah and 10% Grenache, aged for 12 – 18 months in barrel. The blending may take place before or after élevage; ça depend. Good colour. Solid rounded fruit, spicy red fruit and touch of tapenade on the palate. Medium wight. Satisfying balance of tannin and fruit. Good depth and a long finish.
And then Roger opened a bottle of his very first vintage, the 2011 which became Cuvée Garric. His initial reaction was 'it’s oxidised', so a second bottle was opened and also found wanting, but I insisted on trying it too and to my palate it was merely fading gently. The colour was still quite young, and there was fruit and some quite sturdy tannins, with an elegant long lingering finish. I think this was an interesting instance of people not expecting the wines of the Languedoc to age, or indeed appreciating them when they do age. There has never really been a culture of older vintages as there in in Bordeaux or Burgundy. For a start it was rare to have an underground cellar where you might store old bottles… Anyway I thought it was a delicious finale to a very informative and enjoyable tasting.
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