Clos Marie : Simon 2018

Tasting characteristics and advice for Clos Marie 2018

Tasting

Color
With a deep garnet hue and purple highlights, this wine displays fine concentration.

Nose
The bouquet reveals remarkable aromatic complexity, with intense notes of garrigue and Mediterranean scrubland. Aromas of fully ripe dark fruits, blackcurrant and blueberry mingle with spicy touches of black pepper and lemon thyme. The whole also unveils nuances of licorice and fine leather, characteristic of the Pic Saint-Loup terroir.

Palate
On the palate, Clos Marie 2018 captivates with its remarkable balance between power and elegance. The attack is fresh, with well-integrated acidity, followed by a dense yet finely crafted tannic structure. The mouthfeel is generous without heaviness, carried by a fine mineral tension that reflects the estate’s limestone soils. The herbal finish offers delicate, typically Mediterranean bitters, extending the tasting with appreciable length.

Food and wine pairings

This red wine from Languedoc pairs perfectly with a grilled or roasted cut of beef with sauce, lamb chops with garrigue herbs, or a wild boar stew. It also matches very well with marinated meats with Provençal aromatics, duck with olives, or eggplant gratins.

Serving and cellaring

Clos Marie 2018 benefits from aeration before serving, ideally through decanting or by opening it a few hours in advance. The recommended serving temperature is between 16 and 18 °C. This vintage can be enjoyed now for its fresh fruit character, but it also has cellaring potential of at least 5 to 10 years, potentially reaching to around 2035 under good storage conditions.

A red wine from Pic Saint-Loup combining biodynamic finesse with the mineral expression of the Languedoc terroir

The estate

Founded in 1995 by Christophe Peyrus and Françoise Julien, Clos Marie has established itself today as one of the must-know benchmarks of the Pic Saint-Loup appellation and Languedoc. Located in Lauret, about fifteen kilometers north of Montpellier, this family-run estate spans twenty-three hectares farmed biodynamically since 1997. Christophe Peyrus, a former French Navy sailor, and Françoise Julien run the property together. Recognized by the Revue du Vin de France with two stars and awarded three stars by the Bettane and Desseauve guide, Clos Marie embodies the qualitative excellence of modern Languedoc through wines of remarkable finesse and complexity.

The vineyard

Clos Marie’s vineyard enjoys a privileged setting on the foothills of the Montagne de l'Hortus, at the foot of Pic Saint-Loup. The vines range from 150 to 350 meters in altitude on clay-limestone soils mixed with marls and alluvial deposits, resting on a stony subsoil that promotes drainage and deep rooting. This limestone terroir gives the wines a distinctive mineral expression. The Mediterranean climate is tempered by cool nighttime breezes from the Cévennes, creating an ideal diurnal temperature range for grape ripening. Around 75% of the vineyard was replanted using massal selections from vines seventy to one hundred years old, with a high planting density that encourages root competition and the expression of terroir. Yields are intentionally kept low, between fifteen and thirty-five hectoliters per hectare, and harvesting is entirely done by hand.

The vintage

The year 2018 was identified as a good year for the Languedoc region, offering favorable conditions for the expression of the grapes without excess. This vintage made it possible to craft wines at optimal ripeness, combining concentration and freshness.

Vinification and aging

Vinification of Clos Marie 2018 follows the estate’s biodynamic principles, with scrupulous respect for the lunar calendar. The grapes are harvested by hand and undergo meticulous sorting before plot-by-plot vinification. Aging takes place in oak barrels, allowing this Languedoc wine to develop its complexity while preserving the purity of the fruit and the expression of the limestone terroir.

Grape varieties

Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre