Domaine Les Aurelles - La Syrah N°1 rouge

Deep, brilliant ruby color. An intense, expressive nose marked by aromas of ripe black fruits, accompanied by spicy, peppery, and slightly smoky notes typical of Syrah. On the palate, the attack is clean and structured; the tannins are present but well-integrated, lending depth and character. The wine is harmonious overall, with beautiful aromatic intensity. The finish is long and lingering, with spicy and fruity notes.

Near Pézenas, about thirty kilometers from the Mediterranean, the Domaine des Aurelles, covering just under ten hectares, boasts a dreamlike terroir, one of a kind, blending basalt and gravel in a breathtaking landscape that stretches all the way to the Cévennes. Solen, the first cuvée, surpasses most Languedoc wines. Aurel is the flagship wine. Both cuvées are released after a significant period of bottle aging and are not aged in oak. Aurel Blanc is unique, released after several years in the cellar: this is a truly great wine for fine dining. Recently taken over by Matthieu Gufflet (Château Guiraud in Sauternes), a new chapter is beginning.

The new La Syrah vintage—a blend of five vintages—intrigues us and convinces us that the estate is on the right track: the grape variety reveals itself as deep, unfolding with floral richness, notes of violet, supple tannins, and a perfect graphite structure—somewhere between the full-bodied Syrahs of the northern Rhône Valley and those of the Mediterranean basin.

Over the past 30 years, the estate founded by Basile and Caroline Saint-Germain has become a standard-bearer for the Languedoc’s revival and a driving force for Pézenas. In late 2022, the estate was acquired by Bordeaux entrepreneur Matthieu Gufflet, owner of Château de Callac in the Graves, Château Guiraud in the Sauternes region, and Château des Bachelards in Fleurie. Two years later, Basile Saint-Germain permanently handed the reins to Sandrine Garbay, director of the Gufflet estates, who continues the collaboration with winemaker Margarethe Chapelle. The 8.5 hectares of vineyards, cultivated biodynamically without certification, are planted on Quaternary terraces covered with rounded pebbles and scattered with basalt flows from the volcanoes of Auvergne. The grapes are then vinified in a bioclimatic cellar, whose energy efficiency supports the aging process. The harvest, subjected to rigorous sorting and aged for 4 to 5 years, yields a small selection of wines of rare purity.