La Pèira

La Pèira is a small 15.3 hectare domain located in the well drained limestone gravels of Les Terrasses du Larzac, at Saint Saturnin in the Herault department in Languedoc. The domain is owned by expatriate Australian composer Rob Dougan and his French Mauritian wife Karine Ahton (a lawyer who grew up near Montpellier). These wines were made by Jeremie Depierre and the consultant oenologist is Claude Gros, who consults to many of the regions top producers. Only estate grown fruit is used coming from 10-50 year old vines. Intensive work is done in the vineyards and the soil is worked manually to produce tiny yields (8-20hl/ha depending on the wine and vintage). Quantities of all wines here are by definition very limited with just 500 cases produced of the Grand vin, La Peira and only 700 cases of the second wine Las Flores de la Peira and fewer than 300 cases of the white blend, Deusyls.

Varieties cultivated include the indigenous varieties of Cinsault and Carignan together with Grenache and Syrah for the top wines, and Viognier and Roussanne for the white wine. Winemaking is done with a light touch so only a small proportion of new 500 and 600L barrels for the cuvees containing Syrah and Mourvedre, with the Carignan and Cinsault cuvees being aged in tank or larger oak. The aim is to preserve the freshness and purity of each wine with as little interference as possible so there is minimal racking and no fining or filtering.

2013 Les Obriers de la Pèira
‘Moving to their entry level, Cinsault-based release, the 2013 Coteaux du Languedoc Terrasses du Larzac Les Obriers (65% Cinsault and 35% Carignan aged half in oak tanks and half in 600-liter barrels) is perfumed and complex, with plenty of sweet kirsch, exotic pepper, spices and leather-styled aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, lightly textured and elegant, with a seamless profile, it should easily be an outstanding example of this cuvee and drink nicely for 5-8 years.’ (90-92) points, Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate, April 2014.

2012 Les Obriers de la Pèira
’It’s a kind of liqueur of the garrigue.’ Andrew Jefford.

‘The 2012 Coteaux du Languedoc Terrasses du Larzac Les Obriers offers fabulous Cinsault character and shows how interesting this variety can be when done right. Incredibly floral and perfumed, with sweet blackberry, violets, lilacs and exotic spices, this medium-bodied, elegant and silky effort builds on the palate, shows notable freshness and a pure, hard-to-resist feel. I’d drink it over the coming 4-5 years, but it will evolve for longer.’ 90 points, Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate, April 2014.

2012 Las Flors de la Pèira
55% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre and 5% Cinsault aged in 25% new French oak.

‘In the same mould, with an overall elegant, seamless feel, the 2012 Coteaux du Languedoc Terrasses du Larzac Las Flors de La Peira gives up ample blackberry, pepper, crushed flowers, resinous herbs and hints of licorice in it’s medium-bodied, nicely textured and balanced personality. It should drink well on release and evolve gracefully through 2022.’ (90-93) points, Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate, April 2014.

2011 Las Flors de la Pèira
’Tasted out of bottle, the 2011 Coteaux du Languedoc Terrasses du Larzac Las Flors de La Peira is gorgeous. Kirsch, graphite, licorice, spice box and cured meats are just some of the nuances here, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness and depth. Still showing a kiss of oak, give it another year in bottle and drink it over the following 8-10 years.’
93 points, Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate, April 2014.

2012 La Pèira
60% Syrah and 40% Grenache and aged in 60% new French oak.

‘The 2012 Coteaux du Languedoc Terrasses du Larzac La Peira is similar in style, with lively and fresh cassis, black raspberry, graphite, licorice and cedar notes flowing to a medium to full-bodied, profile on the palate. Pure, focused and nicely concentrated, enjoy it over the coming 10-12 years.’
(94-96) points, Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate, April 2014.

2011 La Pèira
’The 2011 Coteaux du Languedoc Terrasses du Larzac La Peira has fabulous richness and depth, with exuberant kirsch, cassis, dried earth, ground herbs and licorice-styled aromas and flavors. Despite all of the fruit and texture, it has considerable depth and concentration, and builds on the palate with fine tannin.’ 96 points, Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate, April 2014.

2008 La Pèira
’A hidden little gem, the 2008 Terrasses du Larzac la Peira offers a savory, complex, full-bodied, elegant style that shines in the vintage, and in fact, it might be one of the best wines from the south of France in the vintage. Giving up a terrific perfume of peppery herbs (there's that classic Languedoc resinous scrub brush character), black fruits, truffle and crushed rock, it has beautiful mid-palate concentration, sound underlying structure and an impeccably balanced, age-worthy, lengthy feel. It shows incredible freshness and purity today, but will keep easily through 2026. It's certainly not one of the most exuberant vintages here, yet it shows incredible class.’ 95 points, Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate, June 2016.