Description

Les Rangées Longues is one of two new single-vineyard cuvées produced by Hélène and Guillaume at La Barthassade, the other being Le Mouvèdre du Clos. It is a pure Syrah classified as Vin de France. The wine was aged exclusively in demi-muids for 22 months.

Although it is a Vin de France, this cuvée creates a stylistic bridge between the Languedoc and the Northern Rhône. Indeed, when tasting it, it is difficult not to compare Les Rangées Longues with some of the great cuvées of the Rhône Valley.

For me, the nose is the wine’s greatest strength: open, expressive and highly refined, with an alluring smoky, bacon-like character that is present without being overwhelming, alongside a beautiful array of dark fruits. The palate is relatively slender and more “primary” than expected given the nose, with remarkably clear fruit in which red fruits begin to emerge. There is also a subtle smoky note, while the influence of the oak remains discreet.

This is a truly fresh, sanguine and juicy Syrah, yet one that is also complex and profound—it is far from being a simple wine. It is a style rarely encountered in this part of the Languedoc. The balance is impeccable, and the tannins are of exceptional quality: fine and slightly powdery.