Pierre Cros settled on 25 ha of vineyards and as much olives, almond trees and truffle oaks. He is a great “winzer-artist”, a real benchmark in the Minervois, if you look look up how often we wrote about him and his wines in this guide during the last 10 years. He considers himself as a “peasant” and tells usthat he learned to respect his clients from his father and grand-father,who both of them had been bakers in Badens. Besides classic grape varieties of the AOC, Pierre Cros keeps ancient, almost forgotten and even “non-beloved” (mal aimé) grape varieties (as for example the Aramon) and introduced new varieties from abroad.

Pierre Cros Syrah Les Aspres

The mythic cuvee of the winery (Les Aspres) stands atop the podium once again. Similar to previous vintages, the 2011 unifies intense, warm fragrances of ripe fruit, spices, cedar wood and eucalyptus. Toasty aromas and cocoa join the full-bodied, smooth and concentrated taste on the palate, underlined by elegant but tight tannins and delicate spices that lead the wine to an intense final. A true apotheosis!

Three stars also for the Vielles Vignes 2012: A centennial Carignan that spend a short time in oak barrels. Sweet spices, concentrated fruit, fine and supple.