Presentation
The Domaine de La Lause, owned by Abbotts & Delaunay, is a 10.5-hectare vineyard nestled in the heart of the Corbières, in Monze, on the cool terroir of the foothills of the Montagne d’Alaric. Planted with southern grape varieties and cultivated organically, it embodies the balance between the Mediterranean intensity of its terroir and the Burgundian finesse brought by the Delaunay family. Since its acquisition in 2019, the estate has benefited from meticulous work to enhance its potential and achieve an exemplary level of precision. The first vintage of the estate was born in 2023.
The "Single Vineyards" come from our best plots, meticulously chosen to reveal the unique character of their terroir.
Terroir
The plot "Chemin Sainte Colombe" is named after the path that borders it and climbs into the Alaric Mountain. It is a very old vineyard of 80-year-old Grenache Gris, trained in goblet. Located on a slight southwest-facing hillside, it rests on gravelly clay-limestone soils, giving the wine aromatic richness, minerality, and finesse. The proximity of the Alaric Mountain ensures a unique climate, combining freshness and moderate humidity, ideal for grape ripening.
Winemaking
The grapes are hand-harvested in small 12 kg perforated crates, with rigorous sorting carried out in the vineyard. To limit colour extraction from the naturally pink skins of Grenache Gris, whole clusters are pressed immediately upon arrival at the winery, without crushing, using a small pneumatic press. Only the finest free-run juices obtained at low pressure are retained, discarding the first and last press fractions. A cold settling is carried out for 24 hours without sulphur addition. Fermentation begins in stainless steel tanks at low temperature (14°C) to preserve freshness, and finishes in Tava amphorae and in fourth- and fifth-fill barrels. Malolactic fermentation is avoided to maintain aromatic purity. The wine is aged on fine lees for 7 months and bottled in May 2025.
Specifications
Tasting
The 2024 “Chemin Sainte-Colombe” Grenache Gris displays a brilliant pale yellow hue. The nose is refined and mineral, opening with delicate notes of white flowers (daffodil, snowdrop, orange blossom), intertwined with a citrus spectrum dominated by mandarin and yuzu, complemented by lemon tart and a subtle exotic hint of starfruit. On the palate, the attack is both intense and elegant, revealing fresh fruit expressions (wild strawberry and gooseberry), supported by returning citrus notes. The pronounced minerality, typical of our limestone soils (flint, white stones, gunflint, struck match), is accompanied by a touch of white pepper and a very slight tannic grip, signature of Grenache Gris. The finish is delicately saline, extending the tasting experience with elegance. This vintage precisely expresses the purity and minerality of its terroir.
Food pairings
Serve well chilled, at 8°C, with citrus-cured langoustine carpaccio, seared scallops, line-caught sea bass roasted with fennel and sauce vierge, poultry with a light cream sauce and preserved lemon, or a delicate artichoke and Parmesan tart.
Reviews
"Hawthorn and elderflower blossom on the nose, with all the sticky, honey-and-sweat-and-lime headiness that those flowers give when they are densely clustered. Young winemaker Jeanne Delaunay has done a remarkable job of capturing the spirit animal of Grenache Gris – the slow, sensuous seduction of honey, the dawn-dusk perfume of pollen, the luminous-green liquorice lace of fennel, acidity like a pebble dropped into the cold depths of an old well. It has the texture of silk-thread tapestry, shimmying in the mouth with the lustre of a thousand dragonflies, yet carrying the weight of the earth. The finish is orange-peel fragrant. This is a superb Grenache Gris, holding the golden sumptuousness and garrigue wildness of the garrigue as its very essence with (I hate to say it but I will) the seriousness of a burgundy grand cru. "
Jancis Robinson
