Mas Jullien ★ 4.9
Terrasses du Larzac AOC and Languedoc AOCCarignan, Mourvedre, Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, Chenin Blanc, Carignan Blanc18 haFounded 1985Olivier JullienWinemaker Olivier JullienBiodynamic PracticingTerrasses du Larzac
Terrasses du Larzac pioneer founded in 1985 by Olivier Jullien at Jonquieres west of Montpellier when he was barely 20, now 18 hectares of varied-soil parcels worked biodynamically without certification (the estate held organic certification until 2006, then renounced it).
Tasting: Cellar tastings extremely limited; mailing-list allocation only
Signature wines: mas-jullien-autour-de-jonquieres, mas-jullien-etats-d-ame, mas-jullien-carlan
Tip: The bottles are scarce: mailing-list only, and Autour de Jonquieres is the most-allocated bottle; Etats d'Ame is the upper-tier cellar release.
Terrasses du Larzac AOC and Languedoc AOCSyrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Carignan, Cinsault, Vermentino, Roussanne, Marsanne, Chenin BlancIsabelle and Vincent GoumardWinemaker Vincent GoumardBiodynamic PracticingORGANIC CERTIFIEDTerrasses du Larzac
Terrasses du Larzac estate originally founded by Jean-Pierre Jullien (Olivier Jullien's father) and taken over in 2004 by Isabelle and Vincent Goumard at Jonquieres, working biodynamic principles on Larzac-foothill terroir.
Tasting: Cellar tastings at Jonquieres by appointment
Signature wines: cal-demoura-terre-de-jonquieres, cal-demoura-les-combariolles, cal-demoura-l-infidele
Tip: Terre de Jonquieres is the appellation flagship; Les Combariolles is the older-vine prestige cuvee.
Terrasses du Larzac AOC and Languedoc Montpeyroux AOC and IGP Mont BaudileCarignan, Mourvedre, Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, Vermentino, Roussanne, Marsanne26 haFounded 1989Sylvain and Desiree FadatWinemaker Sylvain FadatDemeter CertifiedECOCERTTerrasses du Larzac
Five-generation Montpeyroux estate created in 1989 by Sylvain Fadat in the heart of the Terrasses du Larzac, 26 hectares of vines certified organic by Ecocert and biodynamic by Demeter, with the Cocalieres parcel at high altitude on the Larzac foothills.
Tasting: Cellar tastings at Montpeyroux by appointment
Signature wines: aupilhac-le-carignan, aupilhac-la-boda, aupilhac-cocalieres
Tip: Le Carignan is a single-varietal old-vine Carignan (vines planted in 1947 on the Aupilhac home parcel); La Boda is the estate's prestige Terrasses du Larzac.
Terrasses du Larzac AOC and Languedoc AOCSyrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Roussanne, Marsanne22 haPourtalie familyWinemaker Frederic PourtalieORGANIC CERTIFIEDTerrasses du Larzac
Terrasses du Larzac estate at Puechabon 30 km north-west of Montpellier, 22 hectares across Puechabon, Aniane, Saint-Jean-de-Fos and Saint-Saturnin-de-Lucian, run by Frederic Pourtalie with around 50,000 bottles a year.
Tasting: Cellar tastings at Puechabon by appointment
Signature wines: montcalmes-rouge, montcalmes-blanc
Tip: Montcalmes Rouge (Syrah-Grenache-Mourvedre) is one of the longest-lived Terrasses du Larzac reds; the blanc (Roussanne-Marsanne) is a small allocation that is heavily back-vintaged.
Terrasses du Larzac AOC and Languedoc AOCSyrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Carignan, Cinsault11 haFounded 2004Karine Ahton and Robert DouganORGANIC CERTIFIEDTerrasses du Larzac
Terrasses du Larzac boutique estate founded in 2004 by Karine Ahton (lawyer) and Robert Dougan (Australian composer) at Saint-Saturnin-de-Lucian, 11 hectares between Mas de Daumas Gassac and La Grange des Peres, with international critical attention from Robert Parker and Jancis Robinson.
Tasting: Cellar tastings at Saint-Saturnin-de-Lucian by appointment
Signature wines: la-peira-la-peira, la-peira-las-flors, la-peira-matissat
Tip: La Peira (the namesake cuvee) is the Syrah-Grenache flagship; Las Flors and Matissat are the second labels.
Terrasses du Larzac AOC and Languedoc AOCSyrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Carignan, Cinsault, Vermentino, RoussanneORGANIC CERTIFIEDTerrasses du Larzac
Terrasses du Larzac estate at Saint-Jean-de-Fos near the Pont du Diable, certified organic and bottling under both the cru and the regional Languedoc AOC.
Tasting: Cellar tastings at Saint-Jean-de-Fos by appointment
Signature wines: conscience-as-de-coeur, conscience-conscience, conscience-blanc
Tip: Conscience is the AOC Terrasses du Larzac flagship; As de Coeur is the second label that delivers most of the appellation expression at a lower price.
Terrasses du Larzac AOC and Languedoc Montpeyroux AOC and IGP Saint-Guilhem-le-DesertSyrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Cabernet Sauvignon, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc18 haFounded 1987Teissedre and Commeyras familiesORGANIC CERTIFIEDTerrasses du Larzac
Montpeyroux estate created in 1987 by the Teissedre and Commeyras families at the foot of the Larzac foothills, 18 hectares across 22 parcels worked in organic agriculture.
Tasting: Cellar tastings at Montpeyroux by appointment
Signature wines: aigueliere-velours, aigueliere-cote-doree, aigueliere-l-esprit
Tip: Velours (named for the silkiness of the wine) is the upper-tier Terrasses du Larzac; L'Esprit is the regular cuvee.
Terrasses du Larzac AOC and Languedoc AOCSyrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Carignan, Vermentino, ViognierGerard BertrandDemeter CertifiedORGANIC CERTIFIEDTerrasses du Larzac
Terrasses du Larzac estate at Saint-Jean-de-la-Blaquiere acquired by Gerard Bertrand in 2011, at 300 metres altitude on the volcanic terraces of the Larzac, biodynamically cultivated since 2012 with Demeter certification on the wines from the 2015 vintage.
Tasting: Cellar tastings and on-site spa-hotel at Saint-Jean-de-la-Blaquiere
Signature wines: sauvageonne-les-ruffes, sauvageonne-grand-vin-rouge, sauvageonne-grand-vin-blanc
Tip: Les Ruffes (named for the red volcanic ruffes soil) is the value Terrasses du Larzac; the Grand Vin Blanc shows the volcanic-soil white style.
IGP Saint-Guilhem-le-Desert and IGP HeraultCabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Tannat, Viognier, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Petit Manseng44 haFounded 1971Guibert familyWinemaker Samuel GuibertTerrasses du Larzac
Aniane estate founded in 1971 by Aime and Veronique Guibert on the Gassac valley's glacial-powder geology, classified IGP Saint-Guilhem-le-Desert and IGP Herault rather than AOC across 44 hectares of vines amid roughly 4,000 hectares of surrounding Mediterranean forest. Aime Guibert died in 2016 and the estate is now run by sons Samuel, Gael, Roman and Basile Guibert, with Samuel as head winemaker.
Tasting: Cellar tour and tasting at Aniane Monday to Saturday year-round
Signature wines: daumas-gassac-rouge, daumas-gassac-blanc, daumas-gassac-faune
Tip: Mas de Daumas Gassac Rouge is a Cabernet Sauvignon-led blend that routinely ages 25 to 40 years; the white (Viognier-Chardonnay-Petit Manseng) is a small-allocation cellar candidate.
Languedoc Gres de Montpellier AOC and Languedoc Saint-Georges-d'Orques AOC and IGP Pays de l'HeraultSyrah, Mourvedre, Grenache, Carignan, Roussanne, Marsanne, Chardonnay, ViognierFounded 1997Thierry and Francoise HasardWinemaker Thierry HasardBiodynamic PracticingECOCERTTerrasses du Larzac
Languedoc estate at Murviel-les-Montpellier created in 1997 by Thierry and Francoise Hasard, organic from the outset and biodynamic since 2003, certified by Ecocert and Biodyvin.
Tasting: Cellar tastings at Murviel-les-Montpellier by appointment
Signature wines: marfee-les-gamines, marfee-frissons-d-ombelles, marfee-les-vignes-qu-on-abat
Tip: Les Gamines is the Gres de Montpellier flagship; Frissons d'Ombelles is the rare white that punches well above its Languedoc price band.