Château de Cazeneuve - Pic Saint-Loup Les Calcaires 2024

The Château de Cazeneuve is an old estate whose origins date back to the 9th century. The vineyards, which had fallen into disuse in the early 20th century, were revived by André Leenhardt, who cultivates 25 hectares in the Pic Saint-Loup region. André produces lovely white wines. Good news: the small-batch 2017 “Les-Calcaires” vintage signals a shift for the estate toward wines that are at once dense, energetic, and refined. Highly successful, it is a perfect expression of the minerality that this type of soil brings to the classic Languedoc grape varieties. We were thoroughly impressed.

A refreshing breeze blows across this exciting vineyard, born of clay-limestone soils. Syrah and Grenache thrive here, resulting in this lively red with aromas of blueberries and cranberries. The fruit and garrigue notes pulse through an energetic palate—not heavy, but very long and delicate, with perfect harmony. “It makes you want to go back,” notes the jury. That says it all.

The Château de Cazeneuve, an old 9th-century building, stands at the heart of the estate purchased by André Leenhardt in 1988 after he completed his studies in agronomy. Through replanting, leaving the cooperative, and converting to organic farming (certified in 2010), André Leenhardt is now one of the iconic winemakers of Pic Saint-Loup, at the helm of a beautiful 35-hectare vineyard on clay-limestone soils.