Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup

COUNTRY: France
REGION: Languedoc-Roussillon
APPELLATION: AOC Pic Saint Loup

In 1951, during the era of VDQS (the old "superior quality wine" designation) and high yields, l’Ermitage was a private estate that was run by a sheep farmer who was more interested in making cheese than growing grapes. As a result, a wine cooperative was established that year in the village. In 1992, three brothers, Jean-Marc, Pierre, and Xavier Ravailled joined together to plant vines with the ambition of creating quality wines that would be taken seriously. 

At l’Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup, the wine’s balance results from a subtle marriage of noble grape varieties and a rich terroir known as the “Languedoc-Roussillon Symphony” which varies depending on the elevation of the vineyards and can be any combination of limestone, dolomite, red and white clay, red earth, sand, gravel, and pudding stones. Particular care is taken in caring for the vines and since 1999 are grown solely using biodynamic methods. 

The wine is made without acidification or the addition of artificial yeasts, the brothers only use pumping over and natural cold settling. The estate prides itself on its mastery of the whole process from beginning to end, from the vine to the bottling: They grow, harvest, make the wine, and age it on the estate and each wine tells a story of where it came from.