Roussillon Doubleheader: Domaine Laguerre and La Petite Baigneuse!
Domaine Laguerre is located on granite soils in the highest vineyards of the Roussillon, producing pure and vibrant wines that offer outstanding quality and value. Philippe Weis at “La Petite Baigneuse” in Maury creates fascinating natural wines from the shist soils as well as a delicious fortified Maury Grenat - a great aperitif or dessert wine!
Domaine Laguerre
A visit to Eric, Corinne and Paul Laguerre in Saint-Martin de Fenouillet requires steep climbs through a mountain pass up to the highest vineyards in the Roussillon. Here the granite soils, cooler climate, very low yields and their superb organic farming produce distinctive, balanced wines with bright fruit and firm acidities. The top wines here are named after a flowering bush called Ciste that grows throughout the vineyards contributing to biodiversity and wind protection. “Le Ciste Blanc,” (recommended to us by Jean and Pierre Gonon), is a unique blend of Marsanne, Roussanne, Vermentino, Grenache Blanc and Maccabeu, and is one of the most interesting whites of the Roussillon. "Le Ciste" Rouge is 40% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 15% Carignan, 15% Mourvèdre – it’s a beautiful wine - a Chateauneuf-du-Pape of the mountains - and a great value.
The Laguerre “Eos” wines all show the firm acidities and vibrant fruit that is created by the high-altitude granite soils and cool climate. All three are perfect for everyday enjoyment – we especially love the 2023 Eos Blanc from 60% Grenache Blanc, 30% Maccabeu and 10% Vermentino. The aromas are elegant and distinctive with white flowers, pear, meyer lemon and stone. The palate shows the granite soils with a dense mineral/acid backbone under sapid white and citrus fruits, finishing with peach, lemon and intense mineral flavors, bright and refreshing with terrific length. Wow, all this for $15.99!
An Orange wine of the Pyrennes - The 2022 Cuvée LAG Orange, a 10 day maceration of Grenache Gris and Maccabeo that's just delightful, but frankly more pink than orange! The aromas are surpisingly delicate and complex with citrus peel, peach, spice and rose. The palate is well structured with a bit of skin tannin (not too much) with peach skin, orange peel and dried white fruits, finishing with firm acidity and a very long spiced fruit finish.
And don't miss the unique "sous-voile" Grenache Blanc "Oxy," a blend of vintages aged five years in barrique – not quite a Vin Jaune but with sensational mineral and oxidative notes and crystalline purity.
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North meets South, Alsatian barrels in the Roussillon at La Petite Baigneuse!
La Petite Baigneuse
Originally from Alsace, Philippe Wies lived briefly in the Ardeche before searching for a place to make wine and live a simple life. He found the area around St-Paul-de-Fenouillet to be a perfect locale, nestled in the shadows of the Pyrenees mountains, in an arid climate with unique black schist terroir.
After moving into his home, an old man from the village knocked on his door. He apologized to Philippe because he had been snooping around in the house before Philippe moved in, and had taken a small figurine of a swimmer, a “petite baigneuse,” and wanted to give it back to Philippe since it belonged to the house. From this quirky exchange, Philippe decided to name his winery after the little swimmer, and he started La Petite Baigneuse!
His winery is modern and simple, built into a hillside, in three levels, all done by hand with the help of some locals. Everything operates by gravity, with grapes coming into the top level, fermenting in the middle level and then aging in the bottom level. Dozens of glass damijons line the outside of the winery, basking in the sun for part of the day, eventually being bottled as the regional sweet wine, Maury Grenat.
Philippe works with Grenache, Carignan, and the rare variety Lledoner Pelut, which is most likely a mutation of Grenache with its own burly profile. His wines are somewhere between a placeless natural wine profile and a very local and regional Roussillon profile, giving us vibrancy and lift with rustic, earthy flavors – the best of both worlds!
After a long stint without any Petite Baigneuse wines on the shelf, we’re happy to have an exemplary lineup on the shelves!
