2024 Les Zazous Pinot Noir IGP Pays d'Hérault, Domaine La Croix Gratiot

• Style: Vibrant, silky Pinot Noir
• Taste: Red cherry, plum, dried herbs, juicy finish
• Food: Roast chicken, charcuterie, soft cheese, mushroom
• Occasion: Weeknight, Sunday lunch, warm evenings
• Serve: Slightly chilled, 13% ABV

In the Glass — Tasting Notes

Ruby-bright and poised, this southern French Pinot Noir opens with red cherry and plum aromas layered with savoury dried herbs. The palate reveals fine, silky tannins that never overpower, balanced by freshness and a lingering juicy finish that invites another sip. At 13% ABV, this is light, perfumed drinking that tastes alive.

The Winery — Domaine La Croix Gratiot

Managed by Anaïs Ricome alongside her father Yves, this Montagnac estate has become a beacon of ambitious winemaking. Anaïs returned from New Zealand determined to craft pure, site-specific expressions of the vineyard's potential. Today, the 35-hectare property operates biodynamically, holds organic certification since the 2021 vintage, and has been named 'the pinnacle of Picpoul de Pinet' by La Revue du Vin de France. The 2024 vintage weathered late frosts and hail that cut yields across the region, though the fruit that came through showed remarkable resilience. Hand-picked, sorted fruit was aged a year in oak, yielding a wine that carries craftsmanship without overwork.

At Your Table — Food Pairing & Serving

Roast chicken, soft cheese, and charcuterie are natural companions for this elegant light red wine, but it shines equally on its own, slightly chilled on a warm evening. The cool maritime breezes that temper the estate's coastal vineyards suit Pinot Noir beautifully—slow ripening preserves the delicate fruit character and aromatic poise you taste here. Organic and vegan, bottled as IGP Pays d'Oc and made in France by a producer intent on expression over fashion, this is everyday drinking with serious intent.