The Pic Saint-Loup surface area (thirteen communes) backs up against the start of the secondary slopes of the Cévennes hills in the Garrigues area north of Montpellier, 30 km from the Mediterranean coast.
The Pic Saint-Loup (658 metres) and the Causse (limestone plateau) de l’Hortus (512 metres) dominate the skyline with altitudes of about 150m. The vegetation, well suited to summer draughts, is made up of various typical mediterranean essences: Holm oak, Kermes oak, Aleppo pine, arbutus, juniper as well as thyme, laurel, cade, rosemary, cistus, all of which can be found in the Pic Saint Loup wines’ palette of aromas.This environment is then planted, men and women made this legendary land their home. Each wine maker, in his own domain, shares his “savoir-faire” with others in the group in the spirit of discovery and accomplishment. Their wine, a new treasure yielded up by this soil, is the expression of thorough research where each element has played its part in order to achieve the quintessence.
A wine maker from Pic Saint-Loup can be recognised by the specific identity of his wine, to which each natural elements contributes.
This extra recognition is a result of collective effort which every wine maker contributes to the commune’s “Appellation”.
Soil, climate, men and their knowledge come together to create a recognised and recognisable wine.
Several soils making up the Appellation have been identified and the wines express themselves through the individual character of the soils: hard limestone, soft limestone, conglomerates, dolomites, fallen river or cryoclastic limestone, marl.
Analysis of climatic factors has proven that these contribute to the particular character of the wines and have a significant impact on the wines’ aromas and taste.People talk about the “Pic Saint Loup’s underlying climatic uniqueness whatever the year"
The “water factor” directly influences the behaviour of the vine and rainfall measurement shows that this is harmoniously spread over the production cycle: Sufficient winter rain restores the soil’s water stocks which, with limited rainfall in summer, result in a moderate draught, favourable to quality. In the Pic-Saint-Loup area, the temperature range is very marked over the grape ripening cycle, particularly in summer when the days are hot and the nights cool.
These heat variations are a particular climatic feature of the Pic Saint Loup and contribute to the wines’ typical character.
The Pic Saint Loup grape varieties reflect the region’s push for quality. Over the past thirty years or so, the vineyards have been virtually all replanted with 3 main grape varieties: Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre.
Chronologically, Grenache, widely replanted until the 80’s, is a variety which most retains the memory of the Pic Saint Loup. A big lover of heat, it gives fat, round, rich wines. Syrah, a more recent but eloquent variety, is well suited to this “terroir”. Its typical aromatic nature, tasting characteristics often featuring floral (violet) and fruit (raspberry and blackcurrant) aromas, its colour and its laying down potential, make it the dominant variety.
Finally Mourvèdre, a more demanding variety known for its nobility and power, brings the wines interesting structure and good ageing potential. When combined with Syrah and Grenache, it gives the wine its capacity for maturation and longevity.