At a glance

Producer

Terre des Dames

Region

Coteaux du Languedoc (Murviel-lès-Béziers), Languedoc, France

Grape variety

Grenache, Carignan, Syrah (about 50/30/20; 2023 reported as 45/35/20)

Wine type

Red

Body

Medium-bodied and Fresh

Sweetness

Dry

Typical price

$15-$25

Tasting profile

Textured, pulpy and fresh: cassis, black cherry, plum and wild berries with garrigue, laurel, white pepper and a touch of cocoa

Evolution: Fruit softens over the next few years and dried herb, licorice and earthy notes come forward

At peak: Rounded and savoury with integrated spice while keeping its freshness

Structure

Acidity

Medium-plus, fresh

Tannins

Medium, ripe and rounded

Alcohol

13.5% ABV

Aging potential

5-7 years

Drinking window

Peak drinking

2026 to 2028

Optimal window

2025 to 2030

Current status

Ready to drink

Current condition

Fresh, pulpy dark and red fruit with garrigue and spice; concrete-aged with no oak, so it is built for freshness rather than long ageing

Old-vine Grenache and Carignan from Coteaux du Languedoc, raised in concrete without oak, give a fresh, fruit-driven red with ripe, rounded tannins. It drinks well young and holds and gains savoury complexity for about five to seven years from the vintage.

Food pairing

Grilled lamb, cassoulet, duck, Mediterranean vegetable dishes and hard sheep or goat cheeses

Serving

Serving temperature

16-18°C / 61-64°F

Decant

Yes (30-45 minutes) — To soften tannins and enhance aromas and complexity

Sustainability

Sustainability score: 8/10

Certified organic farming since 2012 on 14 ha of old vines (35 to 70 years); very low yields (about 25 hl/ha); hand sorting and minimal-intervention vinification in concrete vats

Terre des Dames is a certified organic Languedoc estate run by Lidewij van Wilgen. Old vines, low yields and low-intervention winemaking place it well above average on sustainability.