Les Aspres 2017 **
Tenacious, Pierre Cros pins two stars and one more “coup de cœur” to his list of achievements, thanks to this high-end, pure Syrah aged for long time in barrels. Smoke, spices, black olives, black fruit, truffle and cocoa, the nose fascinates. Fleshy, concentrated, with finely carved tannins and nice grip, its taste impresses by volume, structure and the body of its spicy and vanilla fruit that still bears the imprint of oak wood. To age for years, certainly, but devilishly attractive now.

Le Clos 2017 *
An almost opaque dark colour dresses this syrah with a heavily oaky nose. Cinnamon, spices and vanilla bloom in a powerful, concentrated mouth, with a precise structure, but still strongly marked by barrel ageing at this stage. To leave imperatively in cellar to ripen.

Guide Hachette 2020

Harvest is over since a couple of weeks now. Wines are going through malo now and everything looks just fine after a long, long harvest this year… The first results are promising, with a beautiful base of Cinsault and Grenache for the cuvée Tradition, with Aramon, Picpoul noir, Morastell, tasty as always, eager to join the Carignan in the cuvée Les Mal Aimés... It certainly is a great vintage for Syrah, showing as majestic and elegant as ever. To be continued…

Minervois Vieilles Vignes 2016
A hundred-year-old Carignan, bottled as a single vineyard selection, is the origin of this “magic potion”, which brings the winemaker his 10^th “Coup de Cœur” in our wine guide. Our tasters have taken a lot of time to study the beguiling scent of cassis, spices, hints of vanilla and flowers. The well-controlled tannin extraction and perfect barrel ageing bring in some roasted notes, which combine well with the light aroma of plum eau-de-vie. Its soft, silky structure is full of finesse and elegance and is integrated into the round and complex aromas on the finish.

Minervois Les Aspres 2016
Made from old Syrah vines, this cuvée is responsible for most of the “Coup de Cœur” of this winery (8 in total), even though the Vieilles Vignes benefit from an extra dose of seductive power in this issue. However, we weren’t less impressed by its density and structure, as well as by the warm vanilla and forest fruit flavours. Twelve months of oak barrel ageing have given him powerful tannins and a solid consistency, giving this wine a great ageing potential ...

Mainly grown in the Mediterranean wine regions of France and Spain, this old grape variety already belongs for a long time to the top 10 of the most planted grape varieties in the world. Like other famous grape varieties, such as Pinot or Grenache, it comes in different varieties: red, grey and white. Carignan wines therefore also carry different colors: white, rosé and red, with the latter dominating. Made from very old, middle-aged or young vineyards (as people are replanting Carignan for some years now!), the wines offer a wide range of styles. Carignan is actually a real “terroir grape” that reacts with great sensitivity to the soil and the environment.

And here we have a real terroir Carignan, the “Vieilles Vignes 2016” from my friend Pierre Cros. The faithful readers of this blog already know him ... At the same time pioneer and conservator, he has a true love for the old Carignan vines (some well over 100 years old) he inherited from his grandparents. Oh, he also loves other grape varieties, as proves the great diversity of variatals he cultivates in his vineyards of the Minervois: Nebbiolo, Syrah and Cinsault, Aramon, Picpoul noir and Touriga nacional, Vermentino, Grenache blanc, gris and noir ... Just to name a few.

But back to his 100% Carignan wine: Produced by the method of carbonic maceration, it shows an explosive and intense blend of red fruit, spices and the scent of fresh plants and herbs. Very seductive. Soft and fresh on the palate, with fine but well-structured tannins that give the wine a lot of juiciness and length. Great grape, great vintage, great wine! An excellent example of the fact that good wine is created in teamwork: A successful collaboration between the grape varieties and locations, the vintage and the winemaker.

Open it now and enjoy it with grilled duck breast or leave it in the cellar for a few more years.

Quite simply: Drink wine from Pierre Cros! The talented and visionary winegrower from the Minervois prevented our tormenting choice when he created his cuvée “Entre la Vigne et la Mer” (between the vineyards and the sea) years ago, inspired by the rhymes of a local young rapper named TOAN. A sleek yet efficient blend of Syrah and Mourvèdre, terroir and hip hop, a truly modern and universal wine.

After first offering an intense, down-to-earth bouquet of black currants, sour cherries and a hint of forest scent, he plunges unexpectedly into the freshness of the sea, coming up with salty, smoky and mint-like aromas on the palate. Tannins are still young and grippy, but they are well accompanied by an energyzing acidity and smoothness. A wine that opens your appetite and quenches your thirst!

Several years of cellaring will make this somewhat boisterous Languedoc surfer a wise, Jack London-worthy sea-wolf. So whether you enjoy it young or after a few years of ageing is ultimately more a matter of taste and style. However, you should definitely enjoy it, because this wine is really good!

FOOD MATCHES FOR HERBIVORES: definitely root vegetables for this “Roots wine”: roasted in a pan, grilled or baked in the oven ... with Parmesan cheese, goat cheese and roasted onions. And you really need a sauce that you can dunk with a toasted slice of fresh bread!

FOOD MATCHES FOR CARNIVORES: A lamb shoulder in the oven, with herbs, garlic, black olives and fried potatoes.

Listed in our wine guide and awarded several times with our highest honours for more than 30 years. And what’s new in 2017?

The old Carignan vines come over with a rather young expression and mild and fresh scent of cherries and plums. No high tannin extraction or severe wood characters (maximum 6 months of oak maturation) in this wine, convincing with finesse and soft structure. Just a touch of butter and caramel remind of the oak barrels. A perfect symbiosis between wood and wine, giving furthermore elegance and complexity to the overall picture.

Drinking from 2019 to 2025, to wild boar.

A nice red wine in the glass, which illuminates the table, a succulent pork roast with fried potatoes and green beans, some pleasant guests ... It is Sunday 12:30, please have a seat! A wonderfull tradition for which even time seems to stop for a few hours to sit down with us at the table.

The Cuvée of Pierre Cros, simply called “tradition”, is a perfect match for these moments. Made mainly from Carignan and Grenache grapes, as the tradition in the Minervois just pretends, as well as a little Cinsault and Syrah, it turns out to be a true Sunday lunch wine. Fruity as you want it to be, spicy as it should be, with gentle tanin structur and crisp acidity refreshing the palate. At the end, the scent of hazelnuts and pineapple is surprising, which definitely settles the wine into the “special wines” category and also confirms that the Minervois is a great wine-growing region and the duo Carignan-Grenache remains unbeatable.

A wine that pleases to everyone at any time, on Sunday, as well as on other weekdays.

Rosé wine now is considered a full-fledged wine, embellishing fresh salads, fish, cheese, exotic dishes, as well as hilarious moments amongst friends all around the year. However, some “typical” rosé wines can still be described as exemplary summer wines, which only intensify our desire for sunshine, swimmingpools and farniente.

The Cuvée “Tradition” by Pierre Cros is one of them. With ease, it seduces with a very bright and shining color and a scent of red fruits, candies, peaches and a touch of tonka beans. Soft and fresh on the palate, with a bit of roundness and a slight bitterness in the finish, its a perfect accompaniment for the aperitif by the pool, together with a few olives and a piece of Cantal Entre-Deux, a full flavoured and spicy cheese from the French Massif Central. Lay back and relaxe, summer is here!

The Cuvée “Partouze”, a successful blend of old Mediterranean vine varieties (Picpoul, Rivairenc, Aramon, Morastel), shows more acidity and citric flavours. A lively rosé, which craves for grilled fish and mussels.