Millésime Bio 2012: visit to Château de Cazeneuve (Pic Saint-Loup)

Name plaque@ Château de Cazeneuve

André Leenhardt: owner of Château de Cazeneuve

After a morning spent tasting at the Natoli & Coe (details to be posted later) we headed off for lunch and a visit to Château de Cazeneuve in Pic Saint-Loup. André Leenhardt and his wife bought the property some 20 years ago. In the 19th century the property had produced wine that was used to make vermouth but then there had been a switch to the production of table grapes. When the Leenhardts bought Cazeneuve the cellars hadn't been used for 20 years.

Today they have some 40 hectares, which includes nine hectares which their son has rented recently and goes into their early drinking cuvée – Carline. They started to convert their vineyards to organic production in 2007 and received their certification in 2010. Cazeneuve has an impressive range of wines including a white made from mainly from Roussanne and Grenache Blanc with the addition of some Vermentino and Viognier.

2005 Le Roc des Mates, Pic Saint-Loup, Château de Cazeneuve

Amongst the reds I was very impressed by the spicy and structured 2005 Le Roc des Mates with 65% Syrah completed by Grenache and some Mourvèdre, which has had time to soften and evolve in bottle. The rich and powerful 100% Mourvèdre – 2007 Le sang du Calvaire – was also impressive but needed time to soften. Later a magnum of the 2005 was opened and the additional two years showed how good this cuvée can be with some bottle age.

2007 Le sang du Calvaire, Pic Saint-Loup, Château de Cazeneuve

Typical view of vines dominated by the limestone plateau above.

Trees (including olive) in the bright January sunshine

Pruning done now waiting for spring (above and below)

Good that our organisers recognise the high quality of the journalists on this trip...