AOC La Clape wines awarded at the Gilbert & Gaillard International Challenge

A.O.C./A.O.P.

The La Clape appellation covers six communes on the Aude coastline, between Narbonne and the Mediterranean Sea: Armissan, Fleury, Gruissan, Narbonne, Salles-d'Aude and Vinassan. The vineyard occupies a limestone massif once isolated by the sea and now joined to the mainland by alluvial deposits from the Aude and Orb rivers. The soils, shaped by hard Cretaceous limestone, are interspersed with red clay, marls and sandstone, forming a mosaic of terroirs. The Mediterranean climate is very sunny and tempered by sea breezes and the tramontane wind, which dry the air and help protect the vines from disease. The permitted red varieties are grenache, mourvèdre, syrah, carignan and cinsault; the white varieties rely mainly on bourboulenc, complemented by clairette, grenache blanc, marsanne, picpoul, roussanne and vermentino. Unlike many Languedoc crus focused solely on red wine, La Clape also produces well-regarded white wines, shaped by its proximity to the sea.

The wines of this appellation

La Clape produces red and white wines; rosé is no longer claimed under the appellation. The reds, deep garnet in colour, are full-bodied and structured, with firm yet well-integrated tannins. Their aromatic range evokes dark fruit, violet, garrigue scrub and sweet spice, with balsamic notes emerging as they age. They have genuine cellaring potential and pair well with grilled meats, game and poultry in sauce. The whites, pale gold in colour, combine roundness with freshness; they show floral and fruity aromas, pronounced minerality and a saline, iodine-like note from the nearby coast, sometimes lifted by a hint of aniseed typical of bourboulenc. They can be cellared for several years, gaining complexity with time. They pair well with shellfish, fish and dishes built around crustaceans.