This post by Annette Peters refers to a wine she discovered for World Class Wines a bit under two years ago, called “Les Ruffes” by the producer La Sauvageonne. To our great delight, that wine was featured in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list last year (link here), even though it was only available in two places: Minnesota, and an obscure retailer on the east coast that self-imported the wine.
This is a wine with huge bang for the buck, but gets lost in obscurity without a little background on the place and the people.
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SAUVAGEONNE – My recent visit in the Terrasses de Larzac
WHERE IS TERRASSES de LARZAC?
The area is part of the historic Diocese of Lodève. Since the days of Roman Gaul, it has benefited from its position close to a major traffic route, an artery known as the Cessero to Segodunum Way (St Thibéry to Rodez), linking the highlands of the Massif Central and the Mediterranean coastlands. Grape growers have always lived around here.
WHAT IS IT LIKE?
A rugged terroir at the edge of the massif central. Three different soils; 1)”ruffes” on the low hills which is scrabble of schist and volcanic rock, 2) sandstone, gravel and schist, and 3) the hills which a rugged rocky schist as you see to the left.
WHY IS IT GOOD TO GROW GRAPES HERE?
When Gavin Chrisfeld had the opportunity to pick out vineyards anywhere in southern France here he settled here because, “the soils here are like nowhere else” says Gavin. “The vines cover 32 hectares on a band of schist at an altitude of between 150 to 400m. A variety of well-exposed sites and the prevailing north westerly winds ensure that our vines reach perfect maturity with little risk of disease.”
Now ask him how easy it is to farm here! The rocky terrasses tear up tractors as fast as they do your boots. There will be no traipsing about in sandals here! Windblown, garrigue-y and remote it is in indeed a destination and not likely to get passers-by stopping for a swig.
How does all this affect the wines?
Gavin Chrisfield
The vines work hard to here to penetrated the rocky domes and the prevailing winds keep air circulating in the vineyards and it’s easy for Gavin to work without any pesticides, mildicides etc. It’s cold at night here and hot during the day so grapes get ripe but acids stay in that very “fresh” range. The wines are strong and rugged like the terroir, with phenolic ripeness that gives texture to the tannins while remaining amazingly fine. Vines here were planted 30 years ago, but the yields have lowered in the last decade, they are as low as 15 hl/Ha in some years.
Wines here at Sauvageonne are dark dense and powerful and due to the Syrah are on the reductive side in their youth. They are natural wines however, not “built to last” but just will because the raw material is so “knitted” together. The Ruffes, which is the lightest of the lot, still offers lots of bing cherry flavor with a textural component that is typically in wines at a higher price.
We import only Les Ruffes from this producer so far (Thanks weak dollar!). It’s comprised of Grenache, Syrah, Carignan and Cinsault. This is 100% stainless steel tank. I tasted the 2008, bottled just 4 days ago, and showing a little bottle sickness on the nose (a reductive mercaptin note) but the dark intense fruit and big fleshy feel tell you what will be; a helluva red wine for a modest price!
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Faugeres never had an excess of production and when the wine was available it was a tannic wine that was often too overripe and so rugged it was not favored by importers. With more wine available Faugeres now has a problem, it is unknown especially by Americans. We arrive at Domaine Liquiere for a tasting of 5 producers. One producer been passed over by the others as the they think the wines are a little pricey. However after I get the first wine in my glass I can see that this wine as far, far away from the pack. Every wine gets better and better from this tiny Domaine of 5 hectare. He is Organic and becoming Bio. Wines made from Syrah, Grenache Carignan and Mourvedre bear a striking resemblance to wines I have had before,but from where? Not France. Ah yes, Spain. We talk some more and I found out he got many of root stocks from Priorat and in fact has adopted the Priorat technique AND is very good friends of Rene Barbier. This is the best wine I have tasted on this trip. This name shall remain a secret until this order is confirmed!
Lunch is Pintade with Broccoli tart and more Faugeres; one from the Faugeres cooperative and the other a new producer with less than a few acres. The coop wines are good, and cheap and cheery- I like them a lot. The new producer is passionate but the wines are not cheap, but I love her north facing vineyard, “keep the freshness plan”.
Two years ago I attended a French Trade tasting in Chicago and was introduced to several new Champagne producers but one of the standouts was Champagne Ayala.
World Class Wines, as wine contributor to 
Once Patrick has located and made agreements with these growers, he works closely with them to produce the highest quality possible using his principles of non-interventionist winemaking. First, he tastes through all the barrels and tanks and makes a strict selection of components he wishes to blend into his final cuvee. The variables in this process include different grape varieties, different vineyard sites, and even different lots of the same wines (since each tank or barrel has its own unique character).
