Clos de la Barthassade - The Open 2023
Nestled on the cool slopes of Montpeyroux, Jonquières and Saint-Saturnin, Clos de la Barthassade has produced Les Ouvrées 2023, a deep and distinguished red that embodies the estate's most ambitious interpretation of the Terrasses du Larzac AOP. The mineral structure of the stony soils, the cool nights that preserve acidity and a low-intervention winemaking approach result in a wine that is more balanced than a showcase, made for both table and cellaring.
The cuvée blends Syrah (50%), Mourvèdre (35%) and Grenache (15%) vinified separately, then aged for 20 months in demi-muids, barrels and concrete eggs to refine the texture without marking the fruit. This long aging architecture brings fullness, grain and length while allowing the freshness of the terroir to express itself. In the glass, the dark ruby color announces an already expressive nose of black fruits (blackberry, blackcurrant), spices and garrigue, enhanced by a breath of mint and a touch of graphite. The palate is ample and sappy, carried by ripe and chiseled tannins; the heart of the fruit remains clean and dense, the saline framework stretches out a long, spicy and fresh finish, which confirms the nobility of Mourvèdre and the straightforwardness of Syrah in this sector. The whole combines controlled power and aromatic precision, with a straightforward and luminous style specific to the great reds of Larzac.
Serve at 16–17°C after a short aeration to unfold the bouquet. The wine is already very convincing but will gain complexity over 10 years or more, as its structure and aging fully predispose it to this.
Grape varieties: 50% Syrah, 35% Mourvèdre, 15% Grenache.
