Domaine Roc d'Anglade 2021
Domaine Roc d'Anglade Rouge 2021 is one of the great reference wines of the Gard and contemporary Languedoc. Created in 1999 by Rémy Pédréno in Langlade, the estate has established itself through a very personal identity, based on finesse, fruit, and freshness. Located between Nîmes and the foothills of the Cévennes, Roc d'Anglade benefits from an environment of garrigue, green oak woods, Aleppo pines, dry stone walls, and poor limestone soils. This historic terroir of Langlade, long recognized for the quality of its wines, gives birth here to reds of rare elegance for the South. The vineyard is worked organically, with strong attention to life, soil vitality, and the right ripeness of the grapes. The 2021 vintage, fresher and more tense than the sunny years, highlights with great precision the airy dimension of the estate. It is a sought-after, deep, and vibrant wine that far exceeds its status as a Vin de Pays du Gard.
The Roc d'Anglade Rouge 2021 cuvée is based on a blend dominated by Carignan and Mourvèdre, complemented by Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault. Carignan brings energy, tension, notes of black fruits, and a very distinctive backbone. Mourvèdre enhances depth, structure, spices, and aging potential, while the other grape varieties complete the balance with more flesh, fruit, and suppleness. The vines root in soils of marl, clay, sand, and silt, with cool exposures that preserve the brightness of the fruit. The harvest is done manually, seeking just ripeness rather than overripeness. Vinification is done without strong extraction, with an average maceration of 15 days and gravity racking. The 18-month aging, including 12 months on fine lees in large oak casks and demi-muids, refines the wine without weighing it down or masking the expression of the terroir.
In the glass, Domaine Roc d'Anglade Rouge 2021 reveals a deep, luminous, and still very young color. The nose combines blackberry, blackcurrant, black cherry, and violet with notes of pepper, garrigue, fine smoke, and delicate undergrowth. The palate stands out for its balance between breadth and tension, with a dense but never massive texture. The tannins are fine, precise, and stretched, giving the wine a sensation of elegant depth rather than demonstrative power. The 2021 vintage brings remarkable freshness, which lengthens the finish and enhances drinkability despite the seriousness of the cuvée. This red deserves good aeration in its youth, but it also has the necessary depth to evolve for several years in the cellar. It will ideally accompany a rib steak, a bull's fillet, roasted lamb, braised duck, beef cheek stew, fine game, or a Mediterranean herb dish.
Grape varieties: 42% Carignan, 32% Mourvèdre, 26% Grenache-Syrah-Cinsault
