Wines Faugères Château La Liquière - Cistus - 2024

Viniou Reviews

Château La Liquière’s Cuvée Cistus 2024 is a red wine from the Faugères appellation in the Languedoc region, reflecting a blend intimately tied to the rugged Mediterranean landscape. Typically composed of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and sometimes Carignan, this cuvée is known for its vibrant fruit profile, generous structure, and elegant balance. The 2024 vintage captures youthful vivacity with expressive notes of ripe blackberries, dark cherries, a hint of wild herbs (garrigue), and subtle liquorice, underpinned by a gentle mineral streak—a hallmark of the schist soils that define Faugères. The vinification blends traditional techniques with a modern sensibility, aiming for both freshness and length, often achieved by careful extraction and moderate oak ageing to preserve the integrity of the fruit.

The Languedoc, and particularly Faugères, boasts a fascinating viticultural heritage. The region benefits from a Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and cooling breezes from the nearby mountains, perfect for slow, even grape ripening. Schistous soils give local wines their characteristic minerality and lifted aromas. Faugères itself has grown in renown, championing biodiversity, organic methods, and a focus on quality over quantity. Vines here dig deep into the mineral-rich soils, producing wines of distinctive energy and depth, telling the story of a historic terroir that’s now at the heart of Languedoc’s wine revival.

With its richness and aromatic complexity, Cuvée Cistus is an excellent companion for a variety of dishes. Consider pairing it with grilled lamb cutlets adorned with thyme and rosemary, a classic local cassoulet with duck confit, or a hearty beef daube Provençale. Vegetarians might enjoy it with smoky aubergine gratin or mushroom ragout. The wine’s structure and freshness also make it suitable for flavourful Mediterranean vegetable dishes, such as ratatouille, as well as hard cheeses like Cantal or aged Comté.

For optimal enjoyment, decant the wine for an hour before serving to reveal its full aromatic bouquet and supple tannins. Serve at a temperature of 16-18°C to appreciate the harmony of fruit, spice, and mineral notes that make Cuvée Cistus a true Faugères classic.