2023 Les Hautes Terres "Panorama" VdF Blanc, Languedoc-Roussillon, France

ABOUT THIS WINE

A blend of 40% Mauzac, 30% Chardonnay, 20% Chenin Blanc, 10% Sauvignon Blanc. The different grape varieties are harvested and vinified separately. Direct pressing of the whole bunches is followed by one-night of cold settling. The juice is racked off the heavy lees straight into concrete vats, where alcoholic fermentation begins naturally using only indigenous yeasts. Blending occurs after the completion of malolactic fermentation for the Mauzac, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. The Chenin Blanc does not go through malolactic fermentation. Aged 6 months in concrete vats. Light clarifying filtration prior to bottling.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Les Hautes Terres is located on the very western edge of the Languedoc in the tiny village of Roquetaillade. Here on the boundary of the Limoux appellation, Geneviève and Gilles Azam live and work at the very top of a 600m summit that is surrounded by an amphitheater of vineyards. The fossil filled clay-limestone and sandstone slopes offer countless expositions and unique microclimates, perfect for crafting honest wines that showcase this unique terroir.

For nearly 20 years Geneviève and Gilles have been slowly building the Domaine, which is now over 30 hectares. All the Domaine’s vineyards are farmed organically, the grapes hand harvested, and all wines ferment spontaneously using only native yeasts. Vinification and élevage for both sparkling and still wines are in used demi-muids and foudres. Apart from minimal sulfur additions, there are no enological additions to the wines.

Ever in the pursuit of quality, in 2018 Geneviève and Gilles purchased used riddling, disgorgement, and bottling equipment from Champagne. This has allowed the Domaine to bring all aspects of their sparkling wine production, from vineyards to disgorgement, in house. To help cover the cost of this major investment, Geneviève and Gilles bottle the sparkling wine production for many small producers in Limoux.

To say that Geneviève and Gilles Azam are among the elite producers in the Languedoc is not an over statement. Their sparkling wines rank among the best in all of France, and the still wines offer precision and minerality rarely found so far south. It’s hard to match the quality to price ratio offered by Les Hautes Terres, and we are so very lucky to represent the Domaine here in the States.