La Terrasse d'Elise - IGP Hérault Pradelou 2023

Since 1998, Xavier Braujou has built a fine reputation with his estate located north of Montpellier, near Aniane. Production is limited, unfortunately, but it’s one of those cherished spots that people pass along by word of mouth. You can enjoy truly great wines there, such as the three reds tasted this year. Old vines, minimal yields, and meticulous craftsmanship result in single-varietal wines that rank among the very best the Languedoc has to offer.

It seems that the successive vintages—whether good or bad—have no bearing on the charm of Pradelou, a captivating Cinsault with a delightful character.

The son of a winemaker, Xavier Braujou has built his own estate, divided between Aniane and Saint-Jean-de-Fos. This solitary and determined artisan winemaker, a former lumberjack, crafts wines of great character—the result of immense effort on old vines trained in the goblet style with very low yields (20 hl/ha on average). His guiding principle can be summed up in two words: finesse and freshness. Unbound by the constraints of the appellation, he has always produced single-varietal wines and blends his different terroirs. Extraction is very gentle, and aging is prolonged; the wines never come into contact with new oak.