Guest Blogger: Jean Orliac and Domaine de l’Hortus

In Languedoc, France, less than 50 kilometers from the Mediterranean coast, slightly north of Montpellier, two mountain peaks loom dramatically over the landscape: the Pic Saint Loup and the Hortus Mountain. The valley that is formed between them has inspired a vast amount of folk tales about the deeds of giants, the arrival of the first men, the solitude of hermits and the fortunes of returning crusaders.  The winemaking heritage of this valley goes back to Roman times, however when this Professor of Agriculture at the University of Montpellier witnessed its vast and rugged landscape from the saddle of his bicycle, what captured his imagination was its potential for making legendary wines.

With the same indomitable will that inspired his winemaking grandfather, Jean Orliac vowed to return to this land and follow in those footsteps. After marrying his wife Marie Thérèse and having left his job in academics, in 1973 the pair threw caution to the wind and Jean began his winemaking career. In 1980 the family built their own house near their recently purchased 50 hectares of vineyard, under the shadow of the Hortus.

It was not until ten years of honing his skills and perfecting his wines had passed that Jean’s staunch commitment to quality allowed him to release the estate’s first commercial vintage release in 1990. By this time construction of their strikingly innovative, entirely wooden winery was underway. Completed in 1995, this winery, representing both innovation and a loyalty to nature, also graphically shows the ‘conqueror’s will’ to harness the potential of their surroundings to fulfil Jean’s compelling winemaking vision. It is therefore unsurprising that the flagship wines of his estate have led the campaign which will soon have the Pic Saint Loup appellation classified as “Grand Cru” status, the first in the Languedoc.

Domaine de l’Hortus is now a proud family run operation, and one which is deservedly receiving more and more critical acclaim. Not content with the vast amount of awards their top wines continue to receive however, the Orliac family has recently produced a truly stunning “second wine” in the form of their ‘Dolines de l’Hortus. This wine represents the Oriac family’s commitment to only releasing wine of the highest quality, and which represents the best of the fantastic winemaking region they call home.

The wine itself is a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre grapes sourced by the Orliac’s from trusted neighboring vineyards, this wine is a beautiful deep ruby color with light purple edges. More restrained than the 08, it still has enticing aromas of ripe bramble fruit and pine. With breathing it opens up to a broad bouquet of herbs like thyme and rosemary, reflecting its origins in the Garrigue filled slopes between the Pic Saint Loup and the Hortus mountains.

This gives way to full flavors of ripe blackberries and redcurrants, with a slightly savory note of game, cloves and olives. Each year, the characteristics of the region shine through the Dolines, but the 09 vintage, though less hot than the 08 resulting in less dominant fruit, was more balanced with long warm days, cool nights and the perfect amount of rainfall.

The 09 is a more balanced, elegant wine, which can better express the unique mineral character of the region’s soil, giving the wine a fine metallic edge to cut through its acidity. Complex and intriguing, but also refreshing and immensely drinkable, making it great on its own but also an incredibly versatile table wine.

At Corks we were immensely excited at the prospect of being able to stock the rare (especially so for Hong Kong!) 2009 vintage of this great wine. The 09 Dolines de l’Hortus dominated the tasting event we held on November the 16^th, and we are very happy to say it exceeded our expectations. We are immensely proud to offer this wine to our customers – www.corks.com.hk

Written by Josh Hawes (josh@corks.com.hk)