New rating for the Minervois La Livinière from Domaine de L’Ostal

The Minervois La Livinière from Domaine de L’Ostal received 90 pts from Wine and Spirits!

Jean-Michel Cazes, owner of the Château Lynch-Bages in Pauillac (the famous Bordeaux Grand Cru Classé), spent many years in Languedoc seeking the finest terroirs. He purchased the L’Ostale estate in 2002 after falling in love with the commune of La Livinière, the birthplace of Minervois and the first appellation to be classified as a “Cru du Languedoc.” The wines, made by oenologist Delphine Glangetas, are all vegan and hold the top sustainable certification: High Environmental Value.

“Jean-Michel Cazes, of Bordeaux’s Château Lynch-Bages, began creating this estate in 2002, when he purchased two neighboring properties in La Livinière. Now, it spans 370 acres, nearly half of them planted to grapes. Delphine Glangetas makes the wines, blending the Grand Vin from syrah, with small amounts of carignan and grenache, and aging it for a year in used barrels from Lynch-Bages. The 2016 shows all the purple power of syrah, from its violet scents to its plummy fruit, held firm with fine plum-skin tannins. The acidity crackles through it, the wine electric in its freshness. It’s a terrific summertime red for barbecues and outdoor dinners.”  Tara Q. Thomas, Languedoc critic, Wine & Spirits Magazine