In the 1970s, his father, Henri Miquel, began planting the first Syrah grapes at his Château Cazal Viel. This earned him the nickname Mr. Syrah almost immediately. His first wines appeared on the market in 1980: a Syrah from Saint-Chinian. Henri also fought for a separate AOC, which arrived in 1982. A true milestone. It wasn't until 1992 that the family planted its first Viognier grapes, and three years later, the first Viognier wine was born. Now, the eighth generation is at the helm, and Laurent Miquel is successfully winning top prizes at international wine competitions.
The grapes are harvested at night. After destemming, they undergo fermentation at a controlled temperature. Twenty percent of the wine is aged for six months in French oak barrels. Located in the commune of Cessenon in the southern part of the Saint-Chinian region, at an altitude of one hundred to two hundred meters, the soil is calcareous and loamy with gravel and rock. The vineyard covers fifty hectares and faces northeast.
And then you ultimately get a typical Southern French blend with dominant, spicy Syrah and juicy, full-bodied Grenache. This Laurent Miquel Pas de Géant Languedoc Red has a ripe nose of red fruit, with delicious notes of mocha and herbs. It's a soft wine, with intense flavors of berries and characteristic rosemary, thyme, and floral notes. Garrigue is also noticeable in the glass. Garrigue is the low shrubby shrub that grows in the South of France. Full of flowers and herbs, it has a delightful fragrance.
