Lors d’une dégustation à Londres au mois de mai 2023, Jancis Robinson a découvert notre Clairette du Languedoc grâce à un négociant ” Stone, Vine and Sun” qui a un vif intérêt pour les vins du Languedoc.
Nous avons eu l’honneur de recevoir cette personne à Cabrières fin juillet 2023, encouragée également par le fait que nous avions reçu le titre de “Vigneron de l’année 2023” par le célèbre guide Hachette des Vins (premier titre donné à une cave coopérative).
Lors de sa visite, Luc Flache notre directeur et œnologue, lui a fait déguster notre gamme et elle a été particulièrement impressionnée par notre vin sans sulfites ajoutés “On souf(f)re pas”
Elle a écrit naturellement un article sur notre cave.
Une belle reconnaissance…
Jancis Robinson
“Stone, Vine & Sun is a hardworking independent wine merchant based in Hampshire with a particular
interest in the Languedoc, the source of so many great-value wines. At its tasting in London in May, I came
across a white based on the vibrant Clairette grape, local to the Languedoc, that seemed a steal. It still
does even though it has gone up in price, as most wines have, from £10.95 to £11.50 in this case.I wanted to order some for our summer in the region and contacted the producer, L’Estabel, which is
situated in the village (and appellation) of Cabrières. It is a coop, meaning it makes wine for growermembers who don’t have the will, expertise or equipment to make it themselves. Luc Flache, who turns
out to be both director and winemaker, was extremely responsive, and I decided to pay him a visit in late
July, encouraged by the fact that France’s annual wine bible, Le Guide Hachette des Vins, had made
L’Estabel a 2023 vigneron de l’année. This was the first time a co-op had been so honoured, Flache told me
with pride when we met in its wine shop.I tasted a range of its wines, includeng a no-added-sulphites red cleverly named On Souf(f)re Pas that
Flache had devised. I was impressed.Flache, in his seven-year tenure, has somehow managed to make some really good wines. He has also
increased the proportion of organic wine produced from 1 to 30 per cent. Cabrières, west of Montpellier
and surrounded by mountains, has a strange geology. It has layers of limestone and the same sort of slatelike schist as adds nerve to many wines from its neighbours Faugères and St-Chinian, but here those
layers are unusually positioned.L’Estabel already supplies Laithwaite’s with white and rosé under the label Le Roi Soleil. Cabrières wine is
locally supposed to have been loved by The Sun King Louis XIV.Superior co-operative wines L’ESTABEL :
White :
Grande Cuvée Comtesse 2022 Languedoc 13% £11.50 Stone, Vine & Sun
Fulcrand, Cabanon 2022 Clairette du Languedoc 13% €39.50 for six bottles estabel.fr
Le Grand Pan 2022 Clairette du Languedoc Cabrières 13.5% €49.50 for six bottles estabel.frRosé :
Le Grand Pan Rosé 2022 Languedoc Cabrières 13% €39.60 for six bottles estabel.frRed :
Cantate des Garrigues 2021 Languedoc Cabrières 14% €57.50 for six bottles estabel.fr”