Organic. Courbissac’s wines turn the typical Languedoc stereotype on its head. They are pure-fruited and perfumed wines shot through with mineral freshness. Of course, these are still wines from the South of France, so you should expect flesh and intensity, yet here you also have moderate alcohols, a complete absence of new oak, and the kind of finesse that we very rarely encounter from this rugged Mediterranean landscape.
As the name suggests, Roc du Pière comes from particularly rocky, bony, limestone-rich soils. There are two plots that contribute to the cuvée—80% Mourvèdre (from 60-year-old vines) and 20% Syrah (45 years old)—and both are situated at around 250-300 metres altitude. These are the same estate vineyards used for Les Traverses, but now the vines are older. The varieties and the southern exposure mean that this is Claux’s deepest and most layered wine, while the cool nights, altitude and mineral soil give the wine ample freshness.