Gérard Bertrand : Clos d'Ora 2018

Characteristics and tasting advice for Clos d'Ora 2018 by Gérard Bertrand

Tasting

Appearance

The wine displays a deep, bright ruby-red color.

Nose

The nose reveals a concentrated bouquet of strawberry, pomegranate and vanilla. With aeration, it unveils aromas of blackberry, black plum, olives, dried herbs and minerals.

Palate

On the palate, this wine offers superb layering with flavors of black cherry, raspberry, dark chocolate, acacia and Herbes de Provence. The tannins are velvety and silky, accompanied by a chalky, juicy character. The remarkable breadth and length reflect a subtle balance supported by a beautifully refined tannic structure.

Food and wine pairings

This wine pairs perfectly with grilled, dry-aged or slow-cooked Aubrac beef. It also elegantly accompanies red meats prepared with Mediterranean herbs.

Serving and cellaring

Clos d'Ora 2018 is best enjoyed at a temperature between 16 and 17°C. Decanting for one to two hours before serving is recommended to allow the wine to fully express its aromatic complexity. This wine has excellent aging potential of 15 to 20 years.

An iconic biodynamically farmed wine from Languedoc

The estate

Gérard Bertrand founded his wine business in 1992, five years after the accidental death of his father Georges. A former rugby captain turned winemaker, he now oversees an estate of seventeen properties spread across around one thousand hectares in Languedoc-Roussillon. A pioneer of biodynamics with nine hundred and thirty hectares certified in 2024, Gérard Bertrand was recognized in 2023 as the world’s best winemaker by The Drinks Business.

The vineyard

Clos d'Ora spans nine hectares, enclosed by dry-stone walls, located at 220 meters above sea level in the heart of the Minervois La Livinière appellation. The terroir lies at the convergence of two distinct geological formations, the Bartonian and Lutetian periods, creating a complex soil profile combining limestone, sandstone and marl. The challenging topography and protected environment led to the exclusive adoption of biodynamics and animal traction work with horses and mules.

The vintage

The 2018 vintage in Languedoc benefited from favorable climatic conditions, enabling full physiological ripeness of the grapes while preserving the acidity balance necessary for structural complexity and aging potential. The harvest was carried out entirely by hand after meticulous leaf thinning to optimize exposure and fruit quality.

Vinification and aging

The vinification of Clos d'Ora 2018 follows a philosophy of individual expression with separation by parcel and by grape variety, each component being vinified independently in temperature-controlled, unlined prefabricated concrete vats. Syrah was vinified after complete destemming. Grenache and Mourvèdre were destemmed and lightly crushed before vatting under strict temperature control. Carignan was vinified as whole clusters at high temperature to maximize aromatic extraction. Maceration was carried out gently with selective pump-overs solely for aeration. Aging allowed the wine to develop an integrated structure with subtle notes of vanilla and toast brought by the oak.

Grape varieties

Syrah, grenache, mourvèdre, carignan