Coteaux du Languedoc Grand Cru ...

We've been wanting to try this cuvee for a while, and the challenge has been to find it at a reasonable price (which happens only rarely).  
The 2006 La Peira en Damaisela Coteaux du Languedoc Terrasses du Larzac la Peira certainly vies for the most descriptive name for a wine.  It is the "grand cru" version of La Peira's wines and is priced at three times the Las Flors cuvee which has been a continual favorite of this blog.

 

 

This 2006 La Peira is a massive and intoxicating wine with almost port-like intensity in its blackberry fruit. At this stage of development, it could easily be perceived as a New World Syrah.

The blend on this premier cuvee is 70% Syrah, 30% Grenache (as compared to the Las Flors which is 40% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 20% Mourvedre.)  The difference between the two cuvees is striking and, to me, the Las Flors is the more attractive wine due to the wonderful Mourvedre component - which gives the Las Flors a more floral nose and well-balanced palate.  The minerality apparent in the Las Flors seems a bit wanting in the La Peira "grand cru".

Don't get me wrong - this wine is a stunner and disappeared very quickly from the bottle --- it's impossible to stay away from once opened. 

Is this grand cru cuvee worth three times the price of the Las Flors?  Only time will tell, yet I don't see the three remaining bottles of this wine remaining in my cellar for more than a year --- it's just too good to hold back on...

As a final note, the true grail for La Peira aficionados may be the Coteaux du Languedoc Terrasses du Larzac "Matissat", which is 100% Mourvedre.  If the influence of Mourvedre on the Las Flors is any indication, then the Matissat cuvee will likely prove very special indeed... 

Sadly, the Matissat from any vintage seems impossible to find in the U.S. market ...

However, since La Peira is imported into the U.S. by Charlotte-based Eric Solomon, then perhaps there is hope for securing a bit of this elusive cuvee ... stay tuned.