La Clape

The La Clape appellation is distinguished by its history, geology, and identity. If we go back to ancient times, 600 years ago, the Massif de la Clape was called "Insula laci," forming an island bordered by lakes. Today, connected to the mainland, the Massif de La Clape, meaning "pile of stones" in Occitan, offers a contrasting landscape between the sea to the east, low alluvial plains to the west, ponds to the south, and Mount Pech Redon overlooking it all at 214 meters. This diverse and wild landscape became a classified natural park in 1973, immersing us in a spectacular setting of canyons, scrubland, pine forests, vineyards, and the sea in the distance. 

The climate of this region, Mediterranean maritime, is particularly dry with almost 3,000 hours of sunshine per year. The proximity to the sea and the numerous winds (thirteen in total, including the tramontane) create conditions that help to cleanse the vines and prevent disease. The soil alternates between flat stones, red earth, gray or yellow marl, and red or green sandstone. All these characteristics make it ideal for growing vines, giving the wines a balance between power on the one hand and freshness and minerality on the other. The La Clape appellation produces a majority of red wines(80%), made from blends of traditional grape varieties from the region: Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Carignan, and Cinsault; and 20% white wines made from Bourboulenc, Clairette, Grenache, Picpoul, Marsanne, Roussanne, and Rolle.