Terrasses du Larzac Autour de Jonquières 2023 Mas Jullien | Languedoc

Terrasses du Larzac: Around Jonquières 2023 | Mas Jullien

"Autour de Jonquières," Mas Jullien’s signature cuvée, is one of those wines that embody the soul of a place. Olivier Jullien founded his wine estate in 1985 in Jonquières, north of Montpellier, with his right-hand man, Jean-Philippe Granier. Since then, he has become one of the leading figures of the Languedoc, inspiring an entire generation of winemakers. This wine pays homage to the winemaker’s hometown, where his roots run deep and his ancestors are laid to rest. It is the wine estate’s flagship red—one well worth the wait.

Terroir and Grape Varieties

The cuvée is a blend from about ten specific vineyard sites located around Jonquières. The vines grow on limestone scree and clay-limestone gravel, perched at altitudes between 150 and 250 meters, on the high terraces ofthe Hérault and the foothills of the Larzac. This well-drained, poor, and almost hostile soil forces the roots of the old vines to dig deep. The result is a mineral character that lingers in the glass, a freshness that the Mediterranean sun never quite manages to erase.

The blend consists of 40% Mourvèdre, 40% Carignan, and 20% Syrah, each of which leaves its distinctive mark on the wine. Each grape variety plays its part in a perfectly harmonious whole, giving rise to a great Terrasses du Larzac wine.

Viticulture and Winemaking

The wine estate cultivates its vineyards using certified organic farming methods, with careful attention paid to each plot according to its specific characteristics. The harvest is entirely done by hand. The grapes are completely destemmed, then vinified using gentle extraction methods—including measured punching down and pumping over—with maceration lasting 15 to 25 days depending on the grape variety. Native yeasts carry out fermentation without any external intervention. Ageing takes place in two stages: 12 months in small vats, with grape varieties and terroirs kept separate, followed by an additional 6 to 12 months in concrete tanks after blending. No heavy fining or filtration is used. It is a long, patient process, much like the wine it produces.

Terrasses du Larzac Autour de Jonquières 2023 | Mas Jullien: The Sommelier’s Review

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin

This wine holds a special place among Languedoc reds. Few cuvées from the region achieve this level of density without ever losing their freshness. The 2023 vintage is particularly well-suited to this: favorable weather conditions have yielded an airy wine with restrained intensity, a far cry from the sun-drenched reds sometimes mistakenly associated with the South of France. This is a red that should be decanted for at least thirty minutes, served at around 17–18 °C, and ideally cellared until at least 2027, with a cellaring window extending through 2039.

The Nose

The nose opens with ripe black fruits—blackcurrant and wild blackberry—carried by a hint of violet and dry garrigue. Pepper and sweet spices emerge in the background, subtle yet distinct. A mineral freshness runs through the entire profile, unmistakably revealing the terroir’s limestone origins.

The Palate

On the palate, the attack is generous, almost enveloping, but immediately cut through by a lovely acidity that brings everything into balance. The texture is dense and velvety, built on silky tannins that ageing in vats has patiently mellowed. The finish lingers at length, carried by notes of garrigue and a salty minerality that is the hallmark of Jonquières’ limestone terroir. Nothing is overdone. Everything is just right.

Les Terrasses du Larzac: Everything You Need to Know About This Appellation

Les Terrasses du Larzac is one of the most ambitious appellations in the Languedoc. The vineyards cling to the foothills of the Causse du Larzac and the alluvial terraces of the Hérault River, at altitudes ranging from 150 to 400 meters. The climate is Mediterranean, but tempered by the proximity of the plateau: cool nights preserve acidity, while northern winds maintain structure. The authorized grape varieties—Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan, and Cinsault—produce powerful reds, aged for at least one year, characterized by garrigue aromas and a freshness rarely found further south.

In this context, Mas Jullien’s Autour de Jonquières stands as the definitive benchmark. Olivier Jullien was one of the first to believe in the potential of these high-altitude limestone terroirs, long before the appellation gained its current renown. This wine is the most accomplished demonstration of that: it expresses the appellation’s typicity while bearing the inimitable signature of a man and a place.