2013 Chateau des Cres Ricards Terrasses du Larzac Oenothera Languedoc-Roussillon

Jean-Claude Mas, a pioneer of the New Languedoc, channels over a century of family tradition into every bottle. Born into a winemaking family in the Languedoc, Jean-Claude's passion for wine was kindled at the age of three when he ran to his grandfather's cellar during harvest. His journey took him from studying economics to establishing himself as a winemaker of distinction, learning the art of blending from the renowned Italian winemaker Giorgio Grai, A.K.A “father of modern winemaking in Italy.”

Nestled in the rugged terrain to the northwest of Montpellier, the Terrasses du Larzac vineyards boast a unique microclimate, heavily influenced by the cool breezes from the lofty Larzac plateau. This is where you'll find the 2013 Château des Crès Ricards Terrasses du Larzac Oenothera, a wine that captures the spirit of this extraordinary terroir.

Long before the Terrasses du Larzac earned its prestigious Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée status in 2014, Jean-Claude Mas had already recognized the immense potential of this land. With an eye for the exceptional, Mas selected the vineyard at “Les Crès Ricards” in the town of Ceyras, where the vines thrive in the red earth plateau scattered with ancient rolled pebbles. This is a vineyard where the rock rises to meet the sky, and the wine reflects the strength and elegance of its surroundings.

The Terrasses du Larzac is no ordinary vineyard. Its well-drained clay-limestone soils, rich in micro-nutrients, provide the vines with ideal conditions for a slow and steady ripening period. The dramatic day-to-night temperature swings of up to 20°C in summer contribute to the wine's remarkable freshness and aromatic complexity. Here, the vines are densely planted, yielding grapes that are nurtured by the earth's mineral-rich embrace, resulting in a wine that is as balanced in structure as it is in aroma.