Le Clos du Serres - Sainte-Pauline 2018

Bettane & Desseauve

About wine:

A long, rich finish, to be held up as an example.

About the estate:

Clos du Serres was established in 2006 in Saint-Jean-de-la-Blaquière, in the foothills of Larzac, at an altitude of nearly 300 meters, by Béatrice and Sébastien Fillon. Vintage after vintage, we find the same systematic quest for sincerity. The range has been redesigned around Maros on schist, offering a perfect balance between density and drinkability; Sainte-Pauline, on sandstone and rounded pebbles, supple and delicious; Palas on sandstone and schist, lively and firm; and Saint-Jean, rounded and flavorful, a blend of terroirs. Humeur-vagabonde comes from a Syrah and Carignan that few are capable of bringing to this level of charm: youthful on the palate, it does not taste its 85 years. But the whole range differs only in nuances, with the estate's signature style strongly imprinting itself on all the vintages. The originally quite powerful style evolves towards much more airy nuances. Bravo! We are adding a star this year for the seriousness of its achievements over many years, including its white wine, which harbors a nod to Hermitage in the northern Rhône.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

Between the sunshine of the Hérault and the cool air of the Aveyron, on a mosaic of schist, pebbles, and red sandstone, Sébastien Fillon took over this 15-hectare estate in 2006. A chemical engineer by training, assisted by his wife Béatrice, he now runs his vineyard using organic farming methods.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

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

About wine:

A complete, balanced, and smooth wine with a powdery texture. The tannins are already enveloping, but without too much power. "Best wine of the 2018 vintage."

About the estate:

This estate, founded in 2006 by Béatrice and Sébastien Fillon in the Saint-Jean-de-la-Blaquière area, in the heart of the Terrasses du Larzac, covers 15 hectares and benefits from both a beautiful geological diversity (schist, ruffes, sandstone, and pebbles) and a significant temperature range between day and night. In the vineyard, the approach is very respectful of the grapes and the ecosystem. In the cellar, built of Gard stone, wood is not allowed: the wines are vinified by plot and aged exclusively in concrete vats. The emphasis is on the purest expression of the terroir and the raw material. This is reflected in the wines, which are full of personality, tactile and complex.