Gérard Bertrand : Villa Soleilla 2021

Tasting characteristics and advice for Villa Soleilla 2021 from Gérard Bertrand

Tasting

Color

The wine displays a deep golden hue with bright highlights, characteristic of orange wines made with extended skin maceration.

Nose

The nose reveals fine aromatic complexity, combining notes of garrigue, thyme and honey. Aromas of apricot, white flowers and caramel complete this generous, refined bouquet.

Palate

On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and complex, with a rich texture supported by a harmonious tannic structure. Fruity apricot aromas intertwine with spicy and floral notes, delivering lovely aromatic persistence through to the finish.

Food and wine pairings

This orange wine pairs perfectly with a lamb tagine, roasted vegetables with sweet spices, or aged cheeses. Its structure and complexity also allow it to elevate white meats and grilled fish.

Serving and cellaring

Villa Soleilla 2021 can be enjoyed now to appreciate its youthful fruit character, but it also has excellent aging potential thanks to its tannic structure and aromatic concentration.

An exceptional biodynamic orange wine from Languedoc

The estate

Founded in 1992, the Gérard Bertrand group is now established as the world’s largest producer of Demeter-certified biodynamic wines, with 930 hectares of vineyards spread across seventeen estates in Languedoc. Led by Gérard Bertrand, a former rugby champion turned visionary winemaker, the estate embodies the region’s winemaking excellence. A pioneer of biodynamics since 2002, Gérard Bertrand was named World’s Best Winemaker in 2017, confirming his commitment to environmentally respectful viticulture and to raising the quality profile of Languedoc wines on the international stage.

The vineyard

Villa Soleilla 2021 is a vin de France produced from plots located in the La Clape appellation, a historic Languedoc terroir benefiting from immediate proximity to the Mediterranean. The vines are planted on schist and limestone soils, at the highest elevation within the appellation. This privileged setting gives the wine distinctive minerality and characteristic freshness. The vineyard is managed according to biodynamic principles and is Demeter-certified, ensuring full respect for the ecosystem and an authentic expression of the terroir.

The vintage

Climatic conditions made it possible to obtain white grapes at optimal ripeness, providing the balance needed between aromatic concentration and freshness to succeed with extended skin maceration.

Winemaking and aging

The grapes for Villa Soleilla 2021 are harvested by hand at perfect ripeness. Vinification combines carbonic maceration and destemming depending on the plots, followed by three to four weeks of skin maceration to extract color, aromas and tannins while preserving the wine’s elegance. The wine is then aged for at least eight months using an innovative three-part method: one third in amphorae, one third in glass globes and one third in oak barrels. This approach brings complexity and refinement to the final wine while respecting the expression of the fruit and terroir.

Grape varieties

Roussanne, vermentino, viognier.