Winemaker Notes
Pair with beef, grilled or slowly cooked.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
An intense nose of grilled meat, dried earth, bark and cloves. Medium to full body with melted tannins. Suave and supple with a gentle character at this stage, but with volume and a spicy touch at the center. Very refined and elegant with excellent length in the finish. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Even from pristine storage at the estate, the 2013 Minervois la Liviniere Clos d'Ora is showing some leathery, earthy notes and hints of dried fruit and peppery spice. It's full-bodied and rich, but open-knit and (this bottle at least) maturing quite rapidly.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
Granted its own appellation within Minervois in the Languedoc region of France, Minervois La Livinière takes its name from cella vinaria, Latin for ‘wine cellar.’ In the hilly northern end of Minervois, the altitude and dense, rocky limestone soils of La Liviniere produce quality red Rhône Blends made from Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache and Carignan.