La Clape report 2023: Latest releases tasted
Bright citrus, heady florals and firm saline notes in the whites, and ripe, sweet-fruited reds – the latest releases of La Clape wines are a strong choice for your wine rack.
La Clape 2022 vintage rating: 4 / 5
La Clape 2021 vintage rating: 3.5 / 5
Such is La Clape’s ecological importance that it has been classified three times: it is a natural heritage site, a regional natural park, and a European Union Natura 2000 site. A triple-pronged environmental ranking which, in theory, strongly protects it, and has meant that it remains a relatively wild enclave in what is a highly touristic area.
Despite this protection, one of its main (and increasing) risks is fire. The vegetation across the rocky limestone bluff that forms the La Clape Massif is incredibly dense and dry, and with the sunny, dry, windy weather conditions wild fires can be a major problem. Access to the massif is often blocked off when the risk of fire is high.
Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the top La Clape wines from 2022 & 2021
See all La Clape latest releases rated
2021
The growing season
The frost that hit many other areas of Languedoc in spring had little impact in La Clape, due to the proximity to the sea.
It was an extremely dry year for the appellation, with very little rain and yields were very low.
A significant fire burned through 100ha of land at Château Rouquette sur Mer. Thankfully there were no huge losses, with only one vine that died, except for around 100hl of wine which was severely affected by smoke taint and completely unusable, according to François Bouscary of Château Rouquette sur Mer.
Reds
The reds from 2021 show both power and freshness, although a few are a little awkward and porty. The successes are plump and ripe, supported by good acidity and an aromatic profile that really puts garrigue herbs front and centre.
Languedoc latest releases homepage
2022
The growing season
La Clape’s proximity to the sea tempers the climate, meaning it experiences less extremes, limiting temperature variations. It hardly ever frosts or hails, so the hail alert for some zones in 2022 was an unwelcome surprise. Luckily the impact was limited.
One of the main pressures for growers here is hydric stress; lack of rainfall can be severe, and 2022 was particularly dry, with a long and hot summer. At Château La Négly the harvest started early, at the beginning of August.
Whites
All of the whites featured here are from the 2022 vintage and they possess good concentration of ripe white stone fruit and citrus, and many enjoy distinct honeysuckle and blossom notes. The characteristic iodine note is there in most of them, although many also have an oily richness and a few are showing their alcohol.
Bourboulenc is not only La Clape’s emblematic white variety, it is also its safety net. It is late-ripening, so arrives at maturity when temperatures are a little cooler, preserving its elegant aromatics. It’s well suited to La Clape’s warm, dry conditions and a changing climate.
Top-scoring wines
White
Château Pech Redon, Epervier 2022 – 93 points
Château Rouquette sur Mer Cuvée Arpege – 92 points
Red
Sarrat de Goundy, La Combe aux Louves 2021 – 92 points
Château L’Hospitalet, Grand Vin 2021 – 91 points
Château Pech Redon, Epervier 2020 – 91 points
Sarrat de Goundy, La Planteur 2021 – 91 points
See the Languedoc latest releases score tables:
Top five value wines
Château Rouquette sur Mer Cuvée Arpege – 92 points
Château La Negly La Brise Marine – 92 points
Cave La Clape L’Empreinte – 90 points
Sarrat de Goundy, Le Moulin 2021 – 90 points
Château Combe des Ducs, Pierres de Mer 2021 – 90 points
Individual appellation analyis:
Limoux | Corbières & Minervois | St-Chinian | Faugères | Picpoul de Pinet | Terrasses du Larzac | Pic St Loup
Top five producers to look out for
Château Rouquette sur Mer
Less than 1km as the crow flies from the blue waters of the Mediterranean, the vineyards stretch back from the château up onto the limestone chunk that is the La Clape massif. Standing in the vineyard looking seaward, buffeted by the marine breezes, it’s not hard to imagine why the wines have a distinct saline tang.
Château les Bugadelles
Some good wines coming out of this organic estate.
Combes des Ducs
A fourth-generation domaine with 50ha of vines making whites, reds, and even some sweet Muscats.
Sarrat de Goundy
Not only is the restaurant well worth a visit, but the wines are also very good, expressive and fine.
Château Pech Redon
A stalwart in the region, Château Pech Redon continues to produce refined, ageworthy wines.
Tasting notes and scores for the top La Clape latest releases:
The wines below are listed by score.
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Château Pech Redon, Epervier, La Clape, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, 2022
A deeper yellowy-golden in colour. Ripe orchard fruit, nutty richness and crab apple complexity make for an appetising sip. Savoury notes of dried herbs and...
2022
Château Pech RedonLa Clape
Château Rouquette sur Mer, Cuvée Arpege, La Clape, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, 2022
A distinctive and incredibly good value white that shows such racy freshness alongside structure, richness and complexity. Pêche de vigne and just-fallen apples, white blossom...
2022
Château Rouquette sur MerLa Clape
Château les Bugadelles, Tilki, La Clape, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, 2022
A delightful mix of ripe stone fruit and a touch of smokiness, balanced by refreshing minerality. Rich cream, dried peach, nuts and fine mineral-lime undertones....
2022
Château les BugadellesLa Clape
Château La Negly, La Brise Marine, La Clape, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, 2022
Flowery and fresh with good purity of lemon and lime fruit. The palate is floral too, with tree blossom, honeysuckle and uplifting acidity, with a...
2022
Château La NeglyLa Clape
Château d’Anglès, Classique Blanc, La Clape, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, 2022
Creamy florals on the nose, light notes of honeysuckle, almond, blossom and honey. Even quite grapey. Quite sweet aromas, vanilla and cinnamon. The palate is...
2022
Château d’AnglèsLa Clape
Château L’Hospitalet, Grand Vin, La Clape, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, 2022
Floral aromas, almond blossom, some toasty vanilla oak and lemon. The palate is concentrated, lemony fresh, with mineral grip on the finish. The oak is...
2022
Château L’HospitaletLa Clape
Château Combe des Ducs, L’Estime, La Clape, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, 2022
A little restrained on the nose, verbena, honeysuckle, blossom. Oily sensation in the mouth, nice cleansing acidity, a little short and loses flavour on the...
2022
Château Combe des DucsLa Clape
Château Capitoul, Rocaille, La Clape, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, 2022
A little restrained on the nose, then focused lemon aromas come forth with intense notes cream and vanilla, the oak standing out. The palate is...
2022
Château CapitoulLa Clape
Sarrat de Goundy, La Combe aux Louves, La Clape, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, 2021
Black fruited and intense, this has aromas of black cherry compote and spicy blackberry. Plump and sumptuous, it flows nicely across the palate, is lifted...
2021
Sarrat de GoundyLa Clape
Château L’Hospitalet, Grand Vin, La Clape, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, 2021
Ripe and rich and appealing fruit on the nose - blackberry, bramble, black cherry. A sweet and pretty profile, almost strawberry-like. It's juicy, succulent, the...
2021
Château L’HospitaletLa Clape
Sarrat de Goundy, La Planteur, La Clape, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, 2021
Rich cherry liqueur aromas unfold onto a juicy cherry-led palate, bolstered by a slatey minerality. Mouthwatering, saline and fresh.
2021
Sarrat de GoundyLa Clape
Château Combe des Ducs, Pierres de Mer, La Clape, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, 2021
A deep and plummy wine with weight and concentration, a little porty, figgy note, a full body and dense lashings of black fruit. There's a...
2021
Château Combe des DucsLa Clape
Sarrat de Goundy, Le Moulin, La Clape, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, 2021
A soft medley of black fruits on the nose, while the palate shows more of a red-fruited quality. Present tannins give structure and power to...
2021
Sarrat de GoundyLa Clape
Château d’Anglès, Grand Vin, La Clape, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, 2021
Ripe fruited on the nose from the off, more cooked blackberries and plums, richness to the fruit and good concentration. The acidity is fresh and...
2021
Château d’AnglèsLa Clape
Château Laquirou, Champs Rouge, La Clape, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, 2021
Herbal and stemmy on the nose, charcoal, grilled meat, smoke, thyme, dark fruit. The palate has this herbal note too, as well as char and...
2021
Château LaquirouLa Clape
Château La Negly, La Côte, La Clape, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, 2022
Sweet wild strawberry fruit aromas. Fruit forward on the palate too, squished strawberries, juicy red fruit. It's a light and fresh style, on primary fruit....
2022
Château La NeglyLa Clape
Château les Bugadelles, Sandokhan, La Clape, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, 2021
Some dusty black fruit aromas to start, but the palate sings with juicy blackberries, a spicy and silky mouthfeel, smooth and round, lifted at the...
2021
Château les BugadellesLa Clape
Château Catherine de Montgolfier, Cuvée Ephémère Meritum, La Clape, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, 2021
Red fruit dusted in dried herbs and ash, there's a greenness like tomato stem, overall the fruit profile is ripe but not jammy. In the...
2021
Château Catherine de MontgolfierLa Clape
