GRANGE DES PERES AT A GLANCE
Owner Laurent Vaillé Vineyard area 15ha ( 13ha red, 2ha white) Soils Chalky limestoneclay; galets roulés, sand Grapes Red Mourvèdre 45%, Syrah 30%, Cabernet Sauvignon 15%, Counoise 10% White Roussanne 85%, Marsanne 15%
Vine density 5,000 vines/ha
Average yield 25hl/ha father continued as a member of the local cooperative while diversifying into market gardening. Seeing a limited future in volume wine, Vaillé’s parents initially encouraged him to find another vocation. But after two false starts studying pharmacy then physiotherapy, they finally bowed to his desire to be a vigneron and on his father’s advice he enrolled in a degree course in oenology in Montpellier.
Material advantage
The 1980s became a formative time. Alongside his studies, Laurent Vaillé obtained work experience with a number of key producers in France. The names included Eloi Dürrbach of Domaine de Trévallon in Les Baux de
Provence, Gérard Chave of Domaine Jean-Louis Chave in Hermitage and Jean-François CocheDury in Meursault. ‘Eloi Dürrbach provided the initial inspiration as he started from scratch, and that encouraged me to do the same,’ Vaillé says.
Towards the end of this period, the Vaillés grubbed up the old vineyard and acquired parcels of new land in the chalky garrigue of the Massif de l’Arboussas southeast of Aniane. This is the hilly area where another leading Languedoc estate, Mas de Daumas Gassac, has vineyards and where the American Mondavi group tried to purchase land in the early part of the new millennium. Today it falls within the boundary of the Languedoc appellation Terrasses du Larzac.
The land had first to be cleared, a task undertaken by Laurent, his father and brother Bernard. Planting then started in 1988, the year he received his degree in oenology. His work experience with producers, chance encounters and wines he tasted dictated which grape varieties were planted and where.
Dürrbach was again an influence regarding Cabernet Sauvignon, as was a Mas de Daumas Gassac 1982 that Vaillé tasted at the time. ‘The Gault & Millau guide labelled it the Château Lafite of the Languedoc and you could really see why, it was sensational,’ he exclaims. Chave, of course, swayed him towards Syrah, Roussanne and Marsanne and introduced him to the intricacies of blending. Initially there was also a little Chardonnay as a nod towards Burgundy.
These five grape varieties were all planted on the north-facing slopes of the massif, the words of Jacques Reynaud of Château Rayas in Châteauneuf-du-Pape ringing in Vaillé’s ears: ‘In the south of France, you want to plant everything north-facing, except Mourvèdre.’
The latter variety was planted on warmer, south-facing parcels located further north with sandy, stony galets roulés soils. The location had been recommended by the president of the Aniane co-op, the Mourvèdre a revelation in another wine he tasted: a Domaine Tempier, Cuvée Speciale 1971 from Bandol. Later, in 1995, Counoise was added at the same site having been recommended by Dürrbach and validated by a tasting at Château de Beaucastel in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
The invaluable advice from these leading names was also complemented by plant material from their estates. So, the Cabernet Sauvignon for planting at Grange des Pères came from Trévallon; the Syrah, Roussanne and Marsanne from Chave; the Mourvèdre from Tempier, Beaucastel and Gérard Gauby in the Roussillon; and, later on, the Counoise from Beaucastel and the legendary Henri Bonneau in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Against the grain
The astonishing thing is that there was never really a master plan as to what should be planted and blended together. ‘It just evolved gradually and there was an element of luck, but I did have a few sleepless nights worrying that it would all work,’ Vaillé says. Asked why he didn’t plant any Grenache, one of the bedrock grape varieties of the Languedoc, he replies: ‘I was convinced that to have good Grenache it needed to be old, and I was in too much of a hurry.’
The initial vintage of the red wine, 1992, was a majority blend of Mourvèdre and Syrah with the addition of Cabernet Sauvignon. The Counoise was added from 1998 and these days can be as much as 10% of the blend. The first vintage of the white, 1995, was a blend of Roussanne (majority) and Marsanne with a dash of Chardonnay. The latter disappeared in 2010, more for logistical reasons than qualitative – the Chardonnay ripened earlier than the other varieties, so complicating the harvest.
Today, the 13ha red vineyard is planted to Mourvèdre (45%), Syrah (30%), Cabernet
a concentrated but well-balanced year. ‘I try to respect the vintage and this is what dictates the style,’ Vaillé says, adding: ‘I’m not looking for a standardised product.’
Slow and steady
A consistent Grange des Pères feature is the sweetness of fruit that portrays the southern climes. But this is balanced by a chalky freshness derived from the limestone soils.
The tannic structure is firm but refined, the Cabernet adding extra backbone and the wines holding well over a period of roughly 20 years while the tannins soften gently.
The youthful fruit is pure and appealing, the aromatic complexity with age more muted, herbal, forest-floor notes typical with berry fruit nuanced behind. Alcohol degrees are kept in check, which helps the balance.
As to the barrel-fermented white, it is a rich and generous wine, again with an ingrained freshness. In youth the oak is integrated but apparent, the 228-litre Burgundy barrels providing a mealy, Burgundian character. As this dissipates, a honeyed, floral complexity appears with age.
Viticulturally, the vineyard at Grange des Pères is farmed with care and attention. The vines are pruned close to the ground, thus shortening the distance the sap has to rise. A gobelet system is used but with trellising that spans 1.6m. Average yields are extremely low at 25hl/ha. The soils are ploughed, synthetic chemicals excluded and a biodynamic approach (uncertified) used for cultivation.
‘I try to respect the lunar calendar, but it’s easier to do in the cellar, as there’s a roof,’ Vaillé quips.
The work in the cellar is kept simple. The hand-picked grapes are vinified by parcel in stainless-steel tanks. They are destemmed but not crushed and can spend up to three weeks in tank during the alcoholic fermentation and maceration period. The juice is initially pumped over to provide oxygen for the alcoholic fermentation and then the grape
(especially with food) but on the leaner, leafy side. Drink 2020-2022 Alc 13.5%
Domaine de la Grange des Pères,
IGP Pays d’Hérault 2011 90
£ 105 (ib) Seckford Wines
Riper and more solar in style, the fruit richer and raisined. Sweet-fruited attack; supple, berry- and garrigue-nuanced mid-palate with finely woven tannins. Tangy finish. Less power and long-term potential. Drink 2020-2023 Alc 14%