In winter it can get pretty cold in the Limoux winegrowing region of southwest France at between 250 and 350 metres altitude. In summer a gentle wind blows the shimmering heat from between the vines. Dry, warm air from the Mediterranean alternates with the warm, humid climate of the Atlantic. It’s not easy for vines around here. They grow in packed, dead straight rows and fight for every ounce of water, for each milligram of minerals – 7500 plants to every hectare (most other vineyards in the region have just 3000 vines per hectare). They have to drive their roots deep down into the bone-dry ground, through clay, limestone, gravel and sand. It’s a tough upbringing for a young wine that is one day destined to proudly bear the name “Baron ’Arques” of the house of the Baroness Philippine de Rothschild.

“Baron ’Arques” is the baroness’s youngest offspring. In 1998, together with her sons Philippe and Julien, she purchased the 48-hectare estate of the former Domaine de Lambert in the commune of Saint-Polycarpe in the Aude. Having once belonged to the Abbey of Saint-Polycarpe in the 16th century, the vineyard was in a terrible condition and in urgent need of restoration. The old vines were replaced by new, high-end varietals: 70% were Atlantic grape varieties from Bordeaux (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc), 30% were Mediterranean varieties from the Languedoc (Grenache, Malbec, Syrah). The best geologists, oenologists, economists, cellarmasters, technicians and gardeners were called upon to nurture the young “Baron ’Arques”. Neither effort nor expense was spared to ensure this wine got an individual yet international profile. Nothing was left up to chance, quality was paramount. As on the mother estate Château Mouton Rothschild in Bordeaux, each varietal was harvested and sorted separately by hand. Depending on the type, the grapes underwent maceration for two to four weeks in order to gain colour and body. The wines then matured and developed in small, two- or three-year-old oak casks. The process culminated in the assembly of the various wine types into a blend: Cuvée Baron ’Arques.

The first bottle of the new wine came onto the market in October 2005. Its name is reminiscent of “Vignerons du Sieur d’Arques”, one of the better wine cooperatives in Languedoc-Roussillon. Expectations were high. Would this wine hold its own against its older, prestigious siblings “Opus One” from California and “Almaviva” from Chile? It did – and how! Brilliant, deep blood ruby red in the glass, dense and complex, with intense aromas of cherries, blackcurrants, dark chocolate, caramel and crystallized orange peel, along with a whiff of pimento and rose petals. On the palate it is vivid and elegant with traces of cinnamon, pepper and fresh mint, on the tongue it is sleek with velvety tannins and a fulsome finish. This wine is highly enjoyable now but will also be a pleasure to drink in another ten years. The same also applies to its younger brother, the 2006 vintage.