1605 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94702

KERMIT LYNCH WINE MERCHANT

Technical Information

Wine Blend Vine Age Soil Type Vineyard Area*
Vin de Pays de l’Hérault Blanc
80% Roussanne, 10% Marsanne, 10% Chardonnay 15 - 20 years Glacial scree, Limestone 1 ha
Vin de Pays de l’Hérault Rouge
40% Syrah, 40% Mourvèdre, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Counoise 15 - 20 years Glacial scree, Limestone 9 ha
* "ha" = hectares; one hectare equals roughly two and a half acres

VITICULTURE / VINIFICATION

• Traditional farming and vinification

• Wines are fermented in stainless steel tanks
• Vines in taille gobelet

• White varietals are blended before being put into barrels for malolactic fermentation, then aged in demi-muids

• Red varietals are harvested and vinified separately and then aged in 228-L barrels separately. Reds are blended after the wines are fully complete, before settling and bottling.

MISCELLANEA

Visiting Vaillé at his property in the Languedoc is always a memorable experience. First, to the cellar with a pipette, to taste through several vintage in barrel. The blanc, two vintages in demi-muid. Then the rouge, two vintages in barrique, the Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Counoise all separated. Laurent will master the blend in a proportion that satisfies him at some later date. So we try to get an idea for the vintage overall, as we simultaneously dive into the qualities that each cépage brings to the table. Tasting with Laurent is always intellectual, and he says very little, calmly measuring your reactions to the wines he’s patiently nurtured over several years. Occasionally he will venture a comment, and when he does, you listen. Afterwards, we’ll climb out of the cool, deep cellar and join his mother, father, and brother at an old wooden table in the kitchen of their home. If it is wintertime, a fire will be crackling in the hearth. Laurent’s mother is a superb cook, and everything she serves comes from her garden, her poultry farm, or a local hunter. Laurent will invariably bring up an older vintage of his blanc and his rouge, and they will seem as timeless as his mother's cuisine.


Dixon Brooke, KLWM

General Information

Country
France
Region
Languedoc-Roussillon
Appellation(s)
Vin de Pays de l’Hérault
Producer
Laurent Vaillé
Founded
1989
Annual Production
2,500 - 3,000 cases
Farming
Traditional
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