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Beltramo's Wines & Spirits
1540 El Camino Real
Menlo Park, CA 94025

Monday-Friday: 10:00am-7:30pm
Saturday: 9:30am-7:30pm
Sunday: 10:00am-6:30pm

(650) 325-2806
(888) 710-WINE(9463)
Fax (650) 323-8450

2010 Domaine de l'Hortus Bergerie l'Hortus Classique Rouge Pic Saint Loup
L'Hortus is a jagged mountain located in the hills between Montpellier and the Herault river valley. The Pic Saint Loup mountain can be found directly across a narrow valley from the Hortus, and in fact, they were once a single entity. The geological slice that separated it into two mountains is evident when viewed from Jean Orliac's vineyards where each mountain's cliff side towers over the valley creating an impression not unlike that which one has in Yosemite valley. Viewed at dawn or dusk in the spring or fall, when the sun rises through one end of the valley and sets at the other, is an other-worldly experience.

The romans, and later the French in the middle ages, grew grapes in this area, but the vineyards were not replanted after the phyloxera epidemic around the turn of the century. The more level, low-lying, easier to farm areas were chosen to replant, leaving this area to the mountain climbers and goats.

Jean Orliac bought and began re-planting his 50 acres in 1970. An agriculture professor at the University of Montpellier, he decided to give up his career there for his first passion, growing wine. Naming his domaine after the towering Hortus mountain, his wines bear the appellation of Pic Saint Loup (the other mountain).

His vineyards are exposed both north and south. Syrah,Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are planted facing north, because of their preference for a more temperate climate and Grenache, Mourvèdre and Viognier grow on the southern exposed slopes. The resulting red wines have a perfect balance of the spicy, smoky syrah and the bright fruit and floral nose of the mourvèdre and grenache. The wild savory, thyme and rosemary which grow around the vineyards add to the the beautiful aromas in this wine. Yields at this domaine do not exceed 40 hl/hectare making for wines with beautiful concentration and balance. The whites show crisp, bright acidity and a nose which is both tropical and floral. Once again, the beauty in these wines stems from the perfect balance of fruit, acidity, tannins and alcohol. Beaune Imports
SKU: 04925
Your Price: $14.99
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