Pic St Loup report 2023: Latest releases tasted

Pic St Loup 2021 vintage rating: 4 / 5

Pic St Loup 2020 vintage rating: 4.5 / 5

Pic St Loup is currently the youngest appellation to have gained its own AP status, in 2017. It’s only 25km long, covering 17 villages, and is the most easterly of the Languedoc appellations. Rainfall is high and temperatures are cooler compared to other areas of Languedoc, and the climate is fairly consistent across the appellation. 90% of the production is red and 10% is rosé, with no whites currently allowed under the region’s regulations.

‘The northern Rhône aside, nowhere in France can offer better Syrah aromatic profiles than Pic St-Loup: floral, lifted and beguiling yet authentically southern, like a citrus grove on a warm spring evening,’ says Andrew Jefford in his profile of the region in the February 2021 issue of Decanter.

These are elegant, refined expressions of Syrah that often illicit comparisons with the northern Rhône. The wines are enticing, fragrant, with great aromatic finesse.

See the Languedoc report 2023 homepage

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the top Pic St Loup wines from 2020 & 2021

2020

The growing season

Winter rains replenished the vines’ water reserves and spring started off fairly early, sunny and warm. This was followed by a particularly hot and dry summer. The drought was relieved by a few summer storms in mid-August.

The harvest started quite early, and for some it lasted a long time, up to six weeks for Château de Lascaux. Yields were generous.

Reds

The 2020 reds are profound and alluring, the aromas a kaleidoscope of complex smoky-tinged fruit and black olive savouriness. They’re structured and concentrated with fine silken tannins and a fresh mineral streak.

See the Languedoc latest releases score tables:

All top-scoring wines

All top-scoring white wines

All top-scoring red wines

See all Pic St Loup latest releases rated

2021

The growing season

As with many other areas of France and Europe in general, Pic St Loup was hit by stark April frosts. ‘This intense period stopped the vines’ development for almost two weeks,’ says Benoît Viot, president of the Pic St Loup appellation and winemaker at Le Chemin des Rêves.

Cyriaque Rozier, winemaker at Château La Roque and Château Fontanès, and his wife Natalia Romanchenko remark that they lost 35% of the crop to frost at Château La Roque, therefore decided to make only one red cuvée, out of their usual four.

What followed was ‘a summer without excessive heat, with cool nights,’ says Marie Cavalier of Châtaux de Lascaux. Victorine Fraisse, the new generation at Domaine de Villeneuve, says that the summer saw several storms, too.

This all lead to delayed ripening and lower alcohol levels.

Reds

The yields are small, yet with its lower alcohols and high acidity, this vintage in Pic St Loup will likely please many drinkers in search of lighter, fresher wines.

2022

Growing season

While the 2022 reds are not yet on the market, it is worth commenting on this vintage for the rosés, given that Pic St Loup produces exclusively reds and rosés.

This was a markedly different year to 2021, with localised variations in rainfall and temperatures. ‘A hailstorm hit parts of the appellation from Claret to Vacquières/Corconne at the end of June,’ says Fraise. Elsewhere, though, it was a little different: ‘there was low rainfall in late spring and summer,’ says Rozier.

What started out as an extremely hot and dry summer ended with a few summer storms and heavy rain at the begining of December.

‘The winegrowers had to take risks and stagger the harvest,’ says Viot.

Rosé

The rosés are bright and vivid, with lots of fresh red fruit and spice. We will see how the reds turn out.

Individual appellation analysis:

Limoux | Corbières & Minervois | St-Chinian | Faugères | Picpoul de Pinet | Terrasses du Larzac | La Clape

Top-scoring wines

Clos des Reboussiers, Pic St-Loup 2020 – 94 points

Domaine de l’Hortus, Le Dit de l’Hortus l’Ombrée, Pic St-Loup 2020 – 94 points

Le Chemin des Rêves, La Soie, Pic St-Loup 2021 – 94 points

Mas Bruguière, La Grenadière, Pic St-Loup 2021 – 94 points

Top five value wines

Château de Lascaux, Carra Rosé, Pic St-Loup 2022 – 93 points

Château de Lancyre, Vieilles Vignes, Pic St-Loup 2020 – 93 points

Le Chemin des Rêves, L’Optimiste, Pic St-Loup 2021 – 93 points

Château de Cazeneuve, Les Calcaires, Pic St-Loup 2021 – 92 points

Domaine de Villeneuve, La Muse, Pic St-Loup 2021– 92 points

Top producers to look out for

Domaine de l’Hortus

A pioneer of the appellation and neighbours with Mas Bruguière, wedged between the Pic St Loup itself and the Montagne de l’Hortus.

Domaine de Villeneuve

Run by Anne-Lisse Fraisse-Florac since 2005 who has now passed the reins to her 28-year-old daughter Victorine. A real breath of fresh air. Production is predominantly Pic St Loup, however there are lots of cuvées and lots of experimentation.

Le Chemin des Rêves

An ex-pharmacist who turned to winemaking, Benoît Viot is the current president of the appellation and now has 17ha of organic vines.

Mas Bruguière

These wines are compelling; firm in their youth but refined. The vineyards, 12ha in total, are spectacular. One dramatic plot sits right at the foot of the Montagne de l’Hortus.

Tasting notes and scores for the top Pic St Loup latest releases:

The wines below are listed by order.

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