Gérard Bertrand - La Clape Château L'Hospitalet Grand Vin rouge 2022

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

Gérard Bertrand has built his name into one of the most dynamic brands in French viticulture. While he describes making wines from the South as an “art of living,” he is first and foremost a meticulous and demanding winemaker, striving for excellence across his 17 estates. This quest finds its culmination in Clos d’Ora, a magnificent vintage from the heights of La Livinière, and in a rosé from the Cabrières terroir, the Clos du Temple cuvée, which shines with its intense personality. Since 2002, he has been leading a large-scale conversion of his vineyards to organic and biodynamic farming, making his estate one of the most significant in France in terms of sustainable viticulture. All of the estates’ wines are remarkable.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

L'Hospitalet impresses with its slender, dense yet delicate structure. It will take time to reach its full potential.

About the estate:

Over the past 20 years, former international rugby player Gérard Bertrand has built an exceptionally dynamic business in the Languedoc region. For this achievement, he was named “Wine Merchant of the Year” by *La Revue du Vin de France* in 2016. Starting with the family vineyard in Villemajou, in the Corbières region, in 1987, his empire now sells millions of bottles annually and encompasses several hundred hectares spread across various sites, from Malepère to the Terrasses du Larzac. Since 2012, he has produced his flagship Clos d'Ora cuvée using biodynamic methods, a practice he has extended to the entire vineyard. Château l'Hospitalet, just outside Narbonne, is a comprehensive, high-quality visitor center—a place well worth a stop.

James Suckling

About the wine:

This is a well-structured blend of Syrah and Mourvèdre, precise and balanced, displaying dynamism and precision. Aromas of wild berries, braised meat, olives, bay leaves, peppercorns, and a hint of toasted fennel. It is full-bodied, with fine, firm tannins. Textured and precise, it has a harmonious fruitiness that pairs nicely with the bright spices and Mediterranean notes. The finish is lively and peppery, with good length.

Jeb Dunnuck

About the wine:

A Syrah-dominated blend, La Clape Château L’Hospitalet’s 2022 Grand Vin is crafted from a selection of the finest barrels—after approximately 16 months of aging—drawn from each of the five grape varieties that make up the blend. Fresh and supple, with dense, juicy tannins, the aromas unfold with fruity notes of dried fruit, dates, blueberry and blackberry paste, as well as wood, vanilla, crème caramel, licorice, and graphite. A slightly sweet touch from the oak tannins accompanies the woody notes on the finish. A “gentleman farmer” style red wine, a bit rustic around the edges but thoroughly enjoyable.