Les Petites Mises Sanguine Rouge 2022

Les Petites Mises is a natural wine estate located in Quarante, a small village northwest of Béziers in the Hérault department of Languedoc. The domaine was established in 2017 by Nathalie Guillevic and Étienne Granier, who farm four hectares of vines surrounded by woodlands.

Before starting their own project, Nathalie and Étienne trained in Provence with Marc and Shirine Salerno at Domaine Cadavre Exquis in 2015 and 2016. They acquired vineyard land in Puisserguier that had been farmed organically for approximately 25 years. The estate is registered with Nature et Progrès, an organic certification organization.

The vineyards are planted on clay and limestone soils. The oldest vines exceed 100 years of age. Grape varieties include Carignan from parcels aged 60 and 100 years, Syrah approximately 30 years old, and Macabeu over 80 years old. Since 2018, the estate has planted additional varieties including Mourvèdre, Aramon, Ugni Blanc, Clairette, Picpoul, and Terret Blanc.

The estate applies minimal treatments in the vineyard, using only small amounts of copper, sulfur, herbal teas, and essential oils. Grapes are harvested in early morning and destemmed by hand in the afternoon. Fermentation occurs in concrete vats using indigenous yeasts. Maceration periods range from 20 to 50 days depending on the cuvée.

After fermentation, wines are pressed gently and transferred to 54-liter glass demijohns or large ceramic amphorae for aging periods of 12 to 30 months. The natural wines from Les Petites Mises are bottled by gravity with no additions and no sulfites. Annual production totals approximately 4,000 to 5,000 bottles.

The estate produces several cuvées including Sanguine from old-vine Carignan, a blend of Carignan and Syrah under the estate name, and Cariño from 100-year-old Carignan vines. All wines are classified as Vin de France and represent the Languedoc terroir.

Languedoc-Roussillon is the largest wine-producing region in France, located along the Mediterranean coast in the south of the country. The region extends from the Spanish border in the west to the Rhône River delta in the east, covering approximately 240,000 hectares of vineyards. The region is now officially designated as Occitanie, though the wine areas retain their historical names of Languedoc and Roussillon.

The climate is predominantly Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and mild winters. The region receives approximately 300 days of sunshine annually. The Tramontane wind from the northwest and the Marin wind from the Mediterranean influence vineyard conditions. Rainfall averages 500-600mm per year, concentrated primarily in spring and autumn.

The geography varies considerably across the region. Coastal plains near the Mediterranean transition to hillside vineyards and mountainous terrain inland. The Corbières, Minervois, and Pic Saint-Loup areas feature elevated vineyard sites. Soil types include limestone, schist, clay, galets roulés (rounded pebbles), and sandstone depending on location.

Red grape varieties dominate plantings in Languedoc-Roussillon. Carignan historically covered large areas and remains significant, particularly from old vines. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Cinsault are widely planted. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are grown in certain areas. White varieties include Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, Vermentino (locally called Rolle), Clairette, Bourboulenc, and Viognier. Macabeu is important in Roussillon.

The region contains numerous appellations. Major AOCs include Corbières, Minervois, Fitou, Saint-Chinian, Faugères, Pic Saint-Loup, Terrasses du Larzac, and Côtes du Roussillon. Limoux produces sparkling Blanquette de Limoux and Crémant de Limoux. Banyuls and Maury are known for vin doux naturel, fortified sweet wines made primarily from Grenache. The regional Languedoc AOC allows blending across sub-regions.

Historically, Languedoc-Roussillon focused on bulk wine production for the French market. Phylloxera devastated vineyards in the late 19th century, followed by replanting with high-yielding varieties. The region supplied large quantities of table wine throughout the 20th century. Beginning in the 1980s, focus shifted toward quality production with lower yields and better grape varieties.

The region has become significant for natural wine production over the past two decades. Many producers farm organically or biodynamically and practice minimal intervention winemaking. Estates like Les Petites Mises represent this approach with old-vine Carignan and traditional varieties vinified without additives or sulfites.

Wine styles range from light, fruity reds to structured, age-worthy wines from hillside sites. White wines include fresh, aromatic styles and fuller-bodied expressions. Rosé production is substantial, particularly near the coast. The diversity of terroirs, grape varieties, and winemaking approaches produces a wide range of wines from Languedoc-Roussillon.

The region's combination of favorable climate, diverse soils, old vines, and innovative winemakers has established Languedoc-Roussillon as an important source of both traditional and natural wines from southern France.