Faugères Léonides rosé 2022

Features

Land

Established at more than three hundred meters above sea level in the foothills of the Haut-Languedoc mountains, in the village of Cabrerolles , the estate owes its name to the enormous crater located at its heart (two hundred meters in diameter and eighty depth). The land on which the estate is located considerably influences the quality of our wines. The Cévennes mountains to the north provide protection from the harsh winds and create a downdraft of cool air that gives the wines freshness and acidity, while the Mediterranean to the south sends in sea breezes whose heat promotes optimal ripening of the grapes. What's more, we find in our wines the striking expression of the land on which the vines are established.

Rocky and shale lands, derived from slate, are found in only a few regions of the world. On the schist , the roots of the vine must go deep, which produces modest harvests and gives the wines a distinct and renowned elegance and minerality, while imbuing them with the aromas of the wild herbs characteristic of the surrounding scrubland.

The Domaine du Météore is the only one to have wines from two of the most famous appellations in the region: Faugères and Saint-Chinian (Roquebrun), between which the soil structure varies considerably. Faugères consists mainly of blue schist, while Saint-Chinian is dominated by yellow/brown schist. Owning vines in these two places makes it possible to explore and compare their influence across the range.

Men

The estate is owned by Paul Jenkins and Paul Jarman , two London doctors and wine lovers who have known the area for many years. Passionate about the potential of Languedoc to create exceptional wines, they have long sought a vineyard that presents a unique potential, history and setting. When they discovered Domaine du Météore, they knew they had found the right terroir and the right vines to produce the wines they wanted.

Vincent Balansa, manager. Master winemaker, Vincent spent years at Domaine Le Soula in Roussillon and trained several famous winemakers. Vincent is passionate about all aspects of winemaking, which he masters perfectly. It is he who is leading the charge to refine the quality of the wines and move the estate from organic to fully biodynamic. He firmly believes in letting nature produce its riches without interfering, which is reflected in the growing elegance and complexity of the wines.

Jean Natoli , consultant. He is a renowned agronomist-oenologist and one of the most influential wine experts in Languedoc. He holds the principle that each wine should have its own character and purpose, and has facilitated the creation of several wines that are among the best in Languedoc. He collaborates with Vincent to give birth to the wines, combining his remarkable technical experience with Vincent's winemaking skills.

Grapes: Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault

Soils: Faugères. Facing south on steep hillsides with schist soils at an altitude of 300 meters in the town of Cabrerolles.

Vinification: Direct pressing. The grapes are poured directly into the press. Aged in stainless steel vats.

Tasting: the dress is between rose petal and salmon. The nose is fine, on candied raspberry, acidulous candy, sweet orange and spices. The palate opens with a nice length before gaining in roundness and fullness, while remaining in a surprisingly soft, caressing, saline register, unlike any known rosé – it is more alkaline than acid, while good, technically, it is necessarily acidic). The finish turns out to be more concentrated, punchy and spicy, but retains this very zen sweetness that is quite bewitching. An extraordinary rosé.