The Oratory Saint Jean D'aurelhian - Franck Soulayrol 2023
The Oratory Saint Jean d’Aureilhan is one of the most exciting and most confidential young estates in Languedoc. Located in Liausson, on the shores of Lake Salagou, Franck Soulayrol has been producing since 2021 a red cuvée already closely followed by lovers of great wines from the South. The estate covers only about six hectares, which explains the natural rarity of the bottles and the speed with which they disappear from allocations. Franck Soulayrol, son of a winemaker and nephew of the Vaillé family from La Grange des Pères, belongs to a prestigious lineage while carving out his own path. The Salagou terroir, marked by schists, limestones, marls, and molasses, gives the wine a deep, sunny, and mineral identity. This 2023 vintage confirms the estate’s rising star status, with a red of character, ambitious and already highly sought after. It is a rare bottle, crafted for lovers of singular Languedoc wines, far from standardized cuvées.
The cuvée L’Oratory Saint Jean d’Aureilhan 2023 is based on a blend of Mourvèdre, Syrah, and Sangiovese. Mourvèdre brings structure, depth, and that dark Mediterranean dimension that gives the wine its seriousness. Syrah enhances notes of black fruits, spices, violet, and pepper, while contributing to the silky texture of the palate. Sangiovese, more unexpected in this area, adds a touch of freshness, a tangy tension, and a slight Italian vibration to the balance. The vines cultivated around Salagou benefit from a warm, dry, and bright climate, but also from a relief that helps preserve beautiful energy. The vinification aims to preserve the precision of the fruit, the softness of the tannins, and the deep identity of the terroir. The 2023 vintage produces a dense, concentrated, and harmonious wine, with that impression of controlled power found in the finest artisanal signatures of Languedoc.
In the glass, L’Oratory Saint Jean d’Aureilhan 2023 reveals a dark, intense, and shiny robe, announcing a wine of great depth. The nose opens on blackberry, blackcurrant, black cherry, and plum, with nuances of violet, pepper, garrigue, licorice, and warm stone. The palate is ample, velvety, and concentrated, but it retains a true freshness that avoids any heaviness. The tannins are present, fine, and well-defined, giving the wine a serious structure and a beautiful aging potential. The finish extends the black fruits, spices, and a mineral sensation that recalls the volcanic and stony landscapes of Salagou. This 2023 can be enjoyed after a good aeration, but it will clearly benefit from a few years in the cellar. It will ideally accompany a rack of lamb, a matured ribeye steak, roasted pigeon, Languedoc stew, lamb tagine, game birds, or a matured cheese.
Grape varieties: Mourvèdre, Syrah, Sangiovese
