Domaine de L’Ostal
Grand Vin

AOC Minervois La Livinière

Traditional grape varieties for a demanding appellation

The Domaine de L’Ostal Grand Vin is the essence of the domaine. Its appellation Minervois La Livinière is one of the most demanding in the Languedoc region as this AOC is produced by as little as 30 winemakers who adhere to a rather Draconian set of regulations.

Firstly, the grapes are carefully selected according to strict criteria which retains less than a third of the terroir's total production, giving priority to two Mediterranean varieties: Syrah (90 %) and Grenache (10 %). This Grand Vin is then aged for 15 months in French oak barrels.

Syrah brings depth

The traditional planting ratio gives the wine its intense ruby hue and bright core. Its bouquet displays red fruits, violet and spicy notes such as vanilla and licorice. The oily and fleshy attack evolves into velvety tannins which are backed up by a pleasant freshness. A wine with good potential for bottle age.

The label depicts an iridescent black solar disc which represents the extraordinary phenomenon of a total eclipse.

Vintages

The end of 2017 was marked by average temperatures and low rainfall (120 mm), followed by a mild first few months of 2018 with higher rainfall than normal (0ver 300 mm).
Budburst took place in the first week of April and was rather generous compared with 2017, offering hopes of a good 2018 harvest.
May was stormy with alternating warm and cool periods, water reserves were very good and the soils had all the resources required to enable the vines to develop well.
The summer was hot and marked by a period of searing heat lasting for around ten days which the vines managed to withstand without too much trouble, enabling their grapes to continue ripening slowly.
Harvesting took place between the first week of September and the first week of October.

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Blending:

70% Syrah, 15% Carignan, 10% Grenache, 5% Mourvèdre