Sylvain Fadat and his wife Désirée both have an obsession with vines and terroir. They founded their domain in Montpeyroux, some thirty kilometres north-west of Montpellier, a little over twenty years ago. Their 22-hectare vineyards are planted on two very different terroirs: the south-west-facing terraces of the Aupilhac lieu-dit, and the Les Cocalières site – higher, and therefore cooler – where Syrah is so much at home, and therefore dominates. The northernmost part is home to white grapes (Roussanne, Marsanne, Grenache Blanc and Rolle). Here, both the landscape and the wines have been shaped by human hands; ploughing, manual harvesting, minimal intervention, bottling without filtration: everything possible is done to preserve the identity of the terroir as much as possible.

Les Cocalières comes from a from a fairly high-altitude vineyard, in the heart of the garrigue, and benefits from a very wide range of temperatures between day and night. The grapes have excellent exposure to the sun and temperatures which favour their ripening, as well as cool temperatures at nighttime, ideal for retaining their acidity and fresh fruit character. They are farmed organically. The wine is raised in oak barrels. When tasting, these wines are sensual and brimming with intense, complex notes. On the palate, there is a fine balance between fresh fruit and spices.