Local 'cave' receives marketing boost
Village produces single-grape and blended wines
HÉRÉPIAN might not have its own appellation or be the best-known wine producing commune in the area but its producers do grow an imaginative range of grapes.
According to the latest leaflet from the wine producing co-operative, the surroundings of the village in the “Grand Orb” part of Haut Languedoc are rich in valleys, terraces and rivers which together contribute to wines that are fresh and unique.
The Mediterranean climate with cool summer nights helps too, so the grapes ripen slowly, adding fine bouquets and a better flavour to the wines.
And, unlike many of the nearby appellations – such as Faugères and Saint Chinian which are better-known for their red wines – the Hérépian co-op, Le Caveaux de Capimont, produces more whites and rosés. These account for 85 per cent of the output as the co-op now has 70 members cultivating 280 hectares of vines across 25 neighbouring communes.
(Notre Dame de Capimont is a romanesque chapel, half a kilometre north of Hérépian in the hills.)
Since being established in 1939, the co-operative has evolved with the times. Now, the priority is reducing the carbon footprint and responding to consumer demand.
Additionally, Les Coteaux de Capimont is unlike the surrounding appellations in another way – it produces more single variety wines than blends.
Of the four principal named domains, two produce only single variety wines. Gamme H produces a red marsellan, a darker cabernet rosé, a lighter voignier rosé and a white muscat sec. The Vallée des Aromes produces a white sauvignon, a chardonnay, a syrah rosé and a red merlot.
Meanwhile, Domaine Saint André which produces blends of chardonnay and grenache blanc and two using syrah and marselan, in different proportions. The last, Éphémere, produces a rosé using cinsault and grenache grapes.
Prices start at €4 per bottle for the sauvignon, merlot and syrah rosé and increase to €8.90 a bottle for the Vallée des Aromes chardonnay.
The co-op also produces boxes of red, white and rosé costing €7.80 for three litres or €20.40 for 10.
Wine is also available on draught for those who take their own plastic containers to the cave. The “superior” red and the white each cost €1.50 (£1.30/$1.80) a litre while another red and the rosé retail for €1.30 (£0.86/$1.20).
The shop is open from 9am until 12 noon and 2-7pm daily except Sundays and public holidays.
© Chris Aspinall, 2021.