2023 Domaine de Castelnau Garenne, Rosé Cinsault/Syrah IGP Pays d'Oc - Liberty

Located near Pézenas, halfway between the Massif Central and the Mediterranean Sea, Domaine de Castelnau Garenne comprises a 160-hectare estate that benefits from fresh sea breezes, preserving acidity and freshness in the grapes. It is owned by Christophe Muret, who, like Yves Ricome of La Croix Gratiot, was a melon farmer before he began growing grapes in 1997. The word ‘Garenne’ in the domaine’s name references the wild rabbits Christophe would see in his vines when he first started as a vigneron. Thankfully, these are a rarer sight these days, but they still remind him of his winemaking journey.

As a farmer, whether of melons or grapes, Christophe has always employed sustainable methods to maintain a healthy soil structure and balanced ecosystem. His vines are planted on a combination of limestone, clay and loam soils, whose water retention helps prevent hydric stress in the vineyards during hot vintages.

South African-born winemaker François Prinsloo ensures the quality of Christophe’s farming shines through in the finished wines. Grapes are mechanically harvested at night to retain freshness and minimise phenolics in the wines before fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks. The ‘Garenne’ Sauvignon Blanc has a refreshing character of lemon and nectarine fruit, while the Picpoul de Pinet displays an expressive floral nose with a core of vibrant stone fruit. A blend of 80% Cinsault and 20% Syrah, the Rosé is characterised by lively acidity and delicate notes of wild strawberry and citrus. The Syrah is destemmed and gently crushed before fermentation and a three-week maceration in stainless steel. The resulting wine is defined by bright black fruit with hints of liquorice and pepper, balanced by a lifted acidity and ripe, supple tannins.

Grapes for this wine grow on the estate’s 160 hectares of vineyard close to Pézenas, in the Occitanie region of southern France. The vines are planted at 5,000 per hectare on stony clay-limestone soils, which help to preserve freshness in the grapes. The vineyards are farmed using the Guyot system and following sustainable methods to maintain a healthy soil structure and a balanced ecosystem.

The 2023 vintage in the Languedoc began with a drier than usual winter. This resulted in a slow start to the growing season. Temperatures remained relatively mild until mid-August, when there was a heatwave. This accelerated ripening and, coupled with the lack of water reserves, resulted in lower yields. The harvest began earlier than usual and the grapes harvested were of excellent quality with well-defined aromatics and a balancing acidity.