The judges
Simon Field MW
Field was a buyer for Berry Bros & Rudd for more than two decades. He now works as a consultant in areas which particularly interested him during that time, with the Rhône, Languedoc and Champagne topping the list in France, and Spain and the fortified category also featuring prominently.
My top three
■ Château Capion, Le Chemin des Garennes, Terrasses du Larzac 2016 The times are a-changing at capion it seems, and this is a far cry from the varietal domination I recall from way-back-when; changes all for the best judging by this lifted and richly complex wine. 94 Drink 2019-2024 ■ Mas des Brousses, Terrasses du
Larzac 2016 A magnificently exciting Terrasses takes on a Bandol theme, with its brooding Mourvèdre, a dense organic backdrop and very finely honed tannins to complete the picture. 94 Drink 2019-2023 ■ Château Ste-Eulalie, Minervois La Livinière 2016 open and richly textured, for me an archetype from the appellation, marrying tradition, courtesy of the carignan, with colour and a fleshy texture, thanks to the syrah and Grenache. 93 Drink 2019-2023
Justin Howard-Sneyd MW
In 2012 Howard-Sneyd founded The Hive Wine Consulting. His biggest client is Direct Wines, where he previously spent three years as global wine director. He is a DWWA Regional co-Chair for Languedoc-Roussillon, and he also makes wine with his family and partners at the 4ha Domaine of the Bee estate in Roussillon.
My top three
■ Gérard Bertrand, Le Viala, Minervois
La Livinière 2015 Gérard’s wines certainly don’t lack in ambition, with eyebrow-raising pricing and heavy glass bottles, but I can’t help loving the wines too: hugely impressive concentration and complexity, underpinned by minimal intervention production methods and biodynamic farming. 95 Drink 2019-2022
■ Domaine La Rouviole, Minervois La Livinière 2013 I really enjoyed this more mature wine from an underestimated vintage. Impressive concentration, notes of garrigue herbs and church incense. 94 Drink 2018-2021
■ Clos Aguilem, Terrasses du Larzac 2016 A very small and relatively new project, not really showing up on most people’s radar yet. A 6.7ha vineyard owned by 16 wine-loving friends. This shone, with extremely expressive and very ripe black fruit. 93 Drink 2019-2024
James Lawther MW
A contributing editor to Decanter and Regional co-Chair for Languedoc-Roussillon at the DWWA, Lawther is an independent wine writer, lecturer and tour guide based in Bordeaux. A Master of Wine since 1993, he has been writing about the Languedoc-Roussillon for the last 20 years.
My top three
■ Mas des Brousses, Terrasses du Larzac 2016 Mourvèdre (50%) shapes the dark, firm, complex character of this wine. A percentage comes from massal selection at Domaine Tempier in Bandol, so it’s impeccably sourced. 94 Drink 2019-2023 ■ Château Ste-Eulalie, Minervois La
Livinière 2016 The emphasis is on the raw material with an equal blend of old vine carignan (80-100 years), Grenache (80 years) and some relatively youthful syrah, bottled early, no oak. Delicious. 92 Drink 2019-2023 ■ Mas Cal Demoura, Terre de Jonquières, Terrasses du Larzac 2016 The flagship wine from this estate is produced from the five permitted grape varieties and is always dark and intense, the tannins rounded out by ageing in 600-litre demi-muids and larger foudres. 92 Drink 2019-2024