Domaine du Pas de l'Escalette : Le Grand Pas 2022

Tasting Notes and Serving Tips for Grand Pas 2022 from Domaine du Pas de l'Escalette

Tasting

Color

The color displays a deep, intense red hue.

Nose

The nose reveals a fruity, spicy bouquet, with aromas of blackberry, redcurrant, and blueberry, enhanced by hallmark notes of Mediterranean garrigue.

Palate

The palate is full and generous, marked by juicy flavors of blood orange and crushed strawberry. Powdery, refined tannins provide a velvety texture. The finish stands out for its remarkable length.

Food and wine pairings

Grand Pas 2022 pairs harmoniously with red and white meats, grilled dishes, and slow-cooked recipes such as lamb tagine or Parmesan veal chop. It also matches well with a porcini fricassee, aged cheeses, and seafood.

Serving and cellaring

This Languedoc wine is best enjoyed at 16°C. Two hours of aeration are recommended to fully reveal its aromatic complexity. Grand Pas 2022 can be cellared until around 2035.

A Terrasses du Larzac wine combining high-altitude freshness and southern intensity

The estate

Founded in 2003 by Julien Zernott and Delphine Rousseau, Domaine du Pas de l'Escalette is located at 350 meters above sea level at the foot of the Larzac plateau, in Pégairolles de l'Escalette in the Languedoc. This estate stands out for its high-altitude viticulture practiced biodynamically, an approach that is rare in the region. The couple produces artisanal wines from vibrant limestone terroirs, growing Grenache, Cinsault, and Carignan to craft cuvées that combine freshness with southern intensity.

The vineyard

The vines of Grand Pas flourish on the foothills of the Larzac plateau, in the valleys of Pégairolles de l'Escalette and Lauroux, within the Terrasses du Larzac appellation. Planted at 350 meters above sea level, they sit on limestone scree and deep clay-limestone soils. The vineyard combines old vines over fifty years old with new plantings from massal selections, farmed according to the principles of certified organic agriculture and Biodyvin biodynamics.

Vinification and aging

Grand Pas 2022 is vinified using a traditional, minimal-intervention approach. Half of the harvest is vinified as whole clusters. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in 50-hectoliter wooden vats with indigenous yeasts, followed by malolactic fermentation also carried out in wood. Maceration lasts twenty-one days. The aging of this Languedoc wine takes place in 600-liter barrels.

Grape varieties

Grenache (70%), Cinsault (20%) and Carignan (10%).