Vin de Pays du Gard Domaine de Roc d'Anglade 2024

In Langlade, near Nîmes, Rémy Pédréno has built one of the most compelling estates in the Languedoc, guided by a single unwavering ambition: to produce, from the sun-drenched soils of the Gard, wines with the tension, finesse and vibrancy of great Burgundy. The ten hectares of the domaine are farmed biodynamically, planted on calcareous marl over clay-silt and silica soils, with north-facing plots that preserve a structural freshness rare in the Mediterranean south. It is a terroir whose reputation stretches back centuries — honoured by Louis XIV with the Blason Viticole in 1696.

The 2024 vintage stands apart for one compelling reason: it is one of the smallest harvests France has seen in years, making each bottle a precious rarity. What little was produced speaks immediately to lovers of taut, vibrant, Pinot-spirited reds from the south. The blend of Carignan, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault is assembled from whole-cluster fermentations in open-top vats, with no extraction, indigenous yeasts and gravity racking, before a long ageing on fine lees in oak foudres and demi-muids.

The wine is elegant and streamlined, with an aromatic profile built on bramble, florals, gentle spice and red fruit, underpinned by a peppery, Northern Rhône-like edge. On the palate, the 2024 is tense, vibrant and sapid, with powerful yet extraordinarily fine tannins and a mineral freshness that runs through to a long, precise finish. Despite the scarcity imposed by the vintage, the quality is undiminished — a remarkable achievement that confirms once again Rémy Pédréno's mastery of this singular terroir.

An exceptional bottle for cellaring, best served around 16°C after a 30-minute decant, alongside roasted lamb, feathered game, or aged sheep's milk cheese.