Update at Chateau Rouquette-sur-Mer
Chateau Rouquette-sur-Mer is one of the larger estates of the appellation of La Clape, situated just outside Narbonne Plage. The property totals 360 hectares, with 53 hectares of vines, including three hectares of Syrah and Mourvèdre which are not year in production. The owner, Jacques Boscary, died earlier this year, in July 2025. He has two sons, but at the moment neither appear to be particularly interested in running the property. However Jacques’ régisseur has been at la Rouquette for 35 years and he is making the wine, as usual this year, maintaining the consistent quality of the last 35 years. I first visited in the mid-80s when it was a pioneering estate of la Clape. Jacques would have said that making wine once is easy, but maintaining a consistent quality of 30 years is much more difficult.
With 53 hectares they produce an extensive range of different la Clape.
We began with the white wine which account for 20% of their production.
2024 Cuvée Arpège - 11.10€
70% Bourboulenc with 30% Roussanne. Kept in stainless steel tanks, with some élèvage on the lees. Quite a rich nose, with a rounded textured palate, balanced with good acidity and that much used word, minerality. A saline note, with lots of nuances. Fruity with a dry finish.
2024 Cuvée Henri Lapierre - 19.00€
Fermented in oak, in 600 litre demi muids and aged for six to eight months. Henri Lapierre was Jacques Boscary’s grandfather. Again a blend of Bourboulenc and Roussanne, with just 5% of Viognier. Quite a rounded nose, with buttery oaky notes. And on the palate, hints of peach from the Viognier - a little Viognier goes a long way. I preferred Arpège as it is drier and more focussed.
2024 Arvine en Mer - 13.90€
They planted half hectare of Petite Arvine in 2015. This is the grape variety of Switzerland and rarely found in the Languedoc. Light colour and a lightly floral nose and palate, with a slightly bitter finish. A little body and weight. I am not so familiar with Petite Arvine to be able to say that this was a textbook example, but it was certainly an appealing note of originality.
2023 Cuvée Orange - 10.00€
A pure Bourboulenc, fermented in stainless steel vats and kept on the skins for severn or eight days. First made four years ago.
Golden orange in colour with fresh salty notes on the nose and quite a firm tight knit palate with salty notes and some tannin. Quite lean and structured. Medium weight
And then onto pink wines that are AOP Languedoc, rather than AOP La Clape
2024 Cuvée Azur, with modern blue and white striped capsule that is nicely eye-catching. A blend of Grenache and Cinsault and a light 11.5%
Very pale colour. Light nose. Easy rounded and a touch of bonbons anglais, or English boiled sweets on the finish. The colour of Provence and the aroma of the Languedoc.
2024 Cuvée Adagio - 10.80€
A blend of Grenache and Syrah,
a deep pink colour. Rounded fruit, and a little more structure with a slightly amylic finish which should disappear with a little bottle development.
Cuvée Henri Lapierre - 19.50€
Fermented in 600 litre barrels. Pale colour. Quite a firm nose and palate with dry red fruit and more structured than Cuvée Adagio. A food rosé rather than a rosé de piscine.
And now for the reds:
2023 Esprit Terroir - 10.80€
A blend of 30% each of Mourvèdre and Syrah with 15% each of Grenache Noir and Carignan. Elevage in vat.
Fresh red fruit. A touch of spice and tapenade. Medium weight with a fresh finish. Easy drinking.
2023 Cuvee Amarante - 12.90€
The same blend as for Esprit Terroir but with an élèvage in 225 litre barriques. New wood from the Tronçais forest, made by a tonnelier in Montluçon. Medium colour. Quite solid, dense and youthful. The oak adds rondeur and seems to bring everything nicely together.
2022 Cuvée Henri Lapierre - 19.90
50% Mourvèdre with 50% Syrah. Aged in 600 litre demi-muids. 14.5% Deep colour. Quite rounded with good weight and spice. Some notes of tapenade. with supple tannins and a supple finish. A combination of richness and elegance.
2022 Clos de la Tour - 36.00€
Mainly Syrah and Mourvèdre, kept for 15 months in 600 litre demi-muids. 15% A selection of several plots. Usually some green harvesting and made every year, unlike L’Absolu (see below) Good colour. Quite firm and structured and solid, but also quite elegant. Ripe fruit, but not heavy. Nicely rounded.
2023 Insula Laci - 26.00€
A blend of 70% Grenache with 30% Syrah. 15%. They sometimes make experimental micro-cuvées, and this is one of them. Aged in demi-muids. Good colour. Supple Grenache fruit and less tannic than the previous wines. A rounded, ripe mouthful.
2022 L’Absolu - 69.00€
The same concept as Clos de la Tour, but a more precise selection and not made every year. A blend of Syrah and Mourvèdre aged in demi-muids for twelve months. Good colour. rounded and spicy on the nose and palate, with notes of black olives and tapenade. Spice and some warm alcoholic notes on the finish, but a sympa note on which to finish our tasting.
They have a very smart tasting room at the estate, so do visit if you are passing by Narbonne Plage.
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