DOMAINE DE L’OSTAL

Domaine de L’Ostal is situated in the foothills of the Montagne Noire, half-way between the mediaeval town of Carcassonne and the old Roman port in Narbonne. The 60 hectares of vines are situated in one of the finest terroirs of the Languedoc, including a spectacular parcel of Minervois La Livinière. The property was purchased in 2002 by Jean-Michel Cazes, the owner of Château Lynch-Bages in Pauillac. He immediately embarked upon a comprehensive restructuring of the vineyard involving mass uprooting, replanting varieties and soil drainage. The aim of this exhaustive approach was to express the full potential of the terroir and the Languedoc’s finest grape varieties: Syrah, Grenache and Carignan. In 2003, the Cazes family purchased the Tuilerie Saint-Joseph (tile factory), a stunning XIX century building that now houses the domaine’s technical facilities.

There are four wines in the range. Minervois Estibals (60% Syrah, 20% Grenache, 20% Carignan) is silky, pure and elegant. One third of the Syrah is aged in (Lynch Bages) oak barrels for 12 months. Minervois La Liviniere Grand Vin (70% Syrah, 15% Carignan, 10% Grenache, 5% Mourvedre) is all aged in 1 year old ( Lynch Bages ) barrels for 15 months. The Grand Vin has a greater structure and depth, but is still beautifully balanced and the special terroir shines through. L’Ostal Rosé is a delicate pale pink colour and a blend of 50% Syrah and 50% Grenache. Picking is carried out early in the morning to take advantage of the cool temperatures and the juice is fermented at a low temperature to maximise the aromatic potential. L’Ostal have decided to change their Blanc cuvee from the 2021 vintage to Chardonnay from Viognier. It is made in the same fresh, elegant style and aged in stainless steel before bottling.

We are also lucky to now have exclusive access to two other wines from Famille JM Cazes, their Pauillac de Lynch Bages and Saint-Estèphe.