At the foot of the dramatic limestone tooth of the Pic Saint-Loup, the Ravaille family tends an estate so bound up with the appellation that they are credited with introducing the Syrah that now dominates it.
Backstory
The brothers Jean-Marc, Pierre and Xavier Ravaille established their estate on the Pic Saint-Loup terroir in 1992 under the name Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup. In 2023 the domaine was renamed Heritage du Pic Saint Loup. The family continues to run it together as a GAEC.
The Region
The vines sit on the hills of Saint-Mathieu-de-Treviers, in the Languedoc north of Montpellier, pressed against the first foothills of the Pic Saint-Loup massif. The cool nights and limestone-driven soils of this high-altitude pocket give wines more freshness and structure than the Languedoc stereotype.
Vineyards & Farming
The estate spans around 35 hectares. It has been farmed organically since 2009 and certified since 2012, and the brothers have worked biodynamically for several years. Plantings are led by Syrah alongside Grenache and Mourvedre for the reds, with Roussanne, Clairette, white and grey Grenache and Marsanne for the whites.
The Wines
The range centers on Pic Saint-Loup reds: the cuvees Tour de Pierres, Sainte Agnes and Guilhem Gaucelm, joined by a white Sainte Agnes built largely on Roussanne and a rose. The estate has long been ranked among the leading producers of the appellation.
