Price	$19.99/bottle
	Varietal	Syrah, Merlot and Grenache
	Region	Val de Montferrand, France
	Format	12 x 750ml
	Availability	40 cases
	Ageability	Now - 2020+
	CSPC	+270769

The 2013 Le Loups dans la Bergerie has not yet been reviewed. This is quintessential bistro wine - juicy, fresh, delicious and exceptional value. Excellent with steak frites! 

Domaine l'Hortus is a family business involving Jean Orliac, his wife Marie-Therese, and their sons Yves, Francois, and Martin. It is situated in one of the most remote and ruggedly beautiful regions of France - the classic 'garrigue' habitat between Pic St Loup and Mount Hortus, 24km north of Montpellier.  Jean is a nature-loving outdoors enthusiast who fell in love with the region when he was rock climbing on the sheer limestone cliff-face of the Pic St Loup in the 1970's: looking down on the calcareous terraces and quart-rich escarpments, he first had the vision of planting vines there.

One of the many intriguing and unique things about Hortus is that because it is a newly planted (1980's) property with a wooden Oregon-style winery in a 'virgin' environment, it looks more New World than Old; yet in terms of philosophy and culture it could not be more deeply rooted in the Old World of the Mediterranean.

No one is more in tune with the local ecology than Jean Orliac. Before planting any vines, he studied the native trees, flowers, and shrubs growing in the area, observing differences between north-facing and south-facing slopes and matching grapevines to the specific conditions of different sites. It is significant that his favourite grape is the emerging local star mourvedre, and that he was a champion of it long before it came into fashion. The precise adaptation of grapes to terroir is the key to understanding the wines of Domaine l'Hortus, which are meant to celebrate the indigenous grapes and local traditions of the region. It is no surprise that they are beautifully balanced, understated yet full of personality and distinctiveness.

'Bergerie' and "Hortus' are two separate ranges of wines - Bergerie refers to 'classic' cuvees, Hortus to 'great' cuvees. These are important wines, which is not to say they are flashy,showy, pretentious wines desperate to impress; they are important because they are literally built upon terroir, offering a rare and special insight into the great potential of the Languedoc as a wine region.