Château La Negly - Le Clos des Truffiers 2022
Château La Négly is located in the heart of the La Clape massif, a maritime terroir emblematic of Languedoc from which some of the greatest Mediterranean reds are born. Benefiting from a unique microclimate, shaped by the immediate proximity of the sea and the winds that temper the excess heat, the estate has built its reputation on a quest for precision and excellence. The soils, mixing hard limestones, red clays, and marine scree, bring rare depth and tension to the Syrahs that thrive there. Le Clos des Truffiers is the most exclusive and mythical cuvée of the château, coming from an isolated plot perched on a hillside with very low yields. A true icon of Languedoc, this cuvée is produced in tiny quantities and now rivals the greatest reds of the south, both in structure and refinement. The 2022 vintage, balanced and sunny, further enhances the aura of this exceptional wine.
Le Clos des Truffiers 2022 is made exclusively from very old Syrah vines, deeply rooted in poor limestone soil where the vine must struggle to nourish its small clusters. The naturally low yields, sometimes less than fifteen hectoliters per hectare, concentrate the matter and densify the aromatic palette. The harvest, carried out entirely by hand, undergoes meticulous sorting to keep only the healthiest and ripest berries. The vinification, slow and precise, takes place in small vats, favoring gentle extractions to preserve the silkiness of the fruit and the nobility of the tannic grain. The long aging in barrels, with a perfectly controlled proportion of new wood, brings patina, depth, and additional complexity without ever overpowering the Syrah. The 2022 vintage marks a broad, intense Clos des Truffiers, yet carried by an astonishing freshness that gives it a rare vertical dimension in this Mediterranean style.
On the palate, Le Clos des Truffiers 2022 presents itself in a deep black robe with violet reflections that announce concentration and power. The nose is spectacular, blending creamy blackcurrant, wild blackberry, black plum, and violet, with hints of truffle, licorice, cocoa, and a touch of menthol bringing relief and freshness. On the palate, the attack is broad, velvety, supported by dense and pure fruit that coats the palate. The tannins, tight but remarkably fine, outline a majestic structure without any heaviness. Notes of pepper, graphite, cocoa, and garrigue follow one another, amplified by a mineral tension that extends the wine towards an endless finish. The aromatic persistence impresses as much as the balance, a sign of a great wine destined for several decades of aging. At the table, this cuvée enhances a roasted rack of lamb, a pigeon in cocoa crust, grilled matured beef, wild boar stew, or truffles in all their forms. It can also be enjoyed alone, as a meditation wine, so much do its intensity and complexity deserve full attention.
Grape variety: 100% Syrah
