Famille Cros-Pujol “La Clape” 2020 red (pack of 6); Bottle price € 13.50

Who doesn't know the small rugged area near the Mediterranean Sea that rises high above the area at sea level. Due to the heat there, there is always a risk of fire there because of the pine forests that surround the vineyards, you can taste the "garrigue" on all sides, the unceasing scent of thyme and other herbs, even lovage. The region has 250 days of sunshine and it is said that 13 different winds blow here. The taste is full and intense.

Price per bottle € 13.50 and packed in boxes of 6

Below more about the winemaker and his background:

Languedoc/Roussilon/Minervois or Sud de France.

An area that was looked at with a crooked face for a long time. It was extinct. I was there a little over 40 years ago. No sign to be seen with references to “Les Cathares”. Now there are an annoying number of references in that direction. The area, as mentioned, was extinct at the time and therefore left behind. Former hat factories in Quillan and Espéraza stood abandoned, empty. The one in Quillan has unfortunately been demolished.

So wine production was no different. Was for local use or was sold en vrac for the Vin de Table. But with the rise of tourism, the tide in wine growing has turned for the better. Beautiful wines are currently coming from here. First of all, the climate is favorable: warm and windy, often due to the Tramontane, the equivalent of the Mistral.

The predominant grape varieties are Grenache, Mourvèdre, Carrignan, Syrah, Cinsault and for white the Macabeo and around Limoux de Mauzac. The latter is for the traditional bubbles of Blanquette, but Chardonnay and Viognier are also widely used. We let you taste a selection consisting of three different families with a distinct vision.

Cros Pujol

The Cros-Pujol family has been settled in the region for a long time, for 5 generations. They own a castle, Château Grézan in the Faugères wine region in the hinterland of Beziers and towards the Massif Central. The château is an imposing Roman villa, once owned by a centurion. But they have been active in wine since 1877. They currently own several wine estates. The wines in question are included in our selection.