Château La Negly - Le Clos des Truffiers 2023
Château La Négly Le Clos des Truffiers 2023 is one of the most iconic cuvées of Languedoc. Located in Fleury-d’Aude, facing the marine influences of La Clape, the Paux-Rosset family estate has established itself as one of the great signatures of Southern France. Le Clos des Truffiers, now often referred to as C des Truffiers, holds a special place in this history. The plot is situated on the heights of Saint-Pargoire, in Hérault, on a very stony, clay-limestone, and particularly sunny terroir. The old Syrah vines planted in 1961 form the heart of this mythical cuvée, sought after for its depth, concentration, and velvety touch. The history of the place is also marked by the original presence of truffle oaks planted among the vines, giving this bottle an almost legendary identity. It is a great wine for aging, rare, ambitious, and emblematic of the rise of very great Mediterranean reds.
The Le Clos des Truffiers 2023 cuvée is based on a blend of Syrah and Grenache, with a Syrah dominance according to the historical spirit of the wine. Syrah brings density, color, black fruits, violet, pepper, and that deep texture that defines the cuvée’s signature. Grenache completes the ensemble with more flesh, roundness, and Mediterranean generosity. The grapes are hand-harvested at optimal maturity, then sorted berry by berry to keep only the most precise material. Total destemming and long maceration in wooden conical vats allow extraction of a rich, structured, and very silky matter. Two years of aging in new barrels bring depth, toasted notes, patina, and a structure tailored for aging. The 2023 vintage produces a powerful, dense, and opulent wine, balanced by a mineral framework and maritime freshness that avoid any heaviness.
In the glass, Château La Négly Le Clos des Truffiers 2023 reveals an intense, dark, and shiny ruby robe. The nose opens on blackberry, black raspberry, black fruit liqueur, and violet, with nuances of mocha, blond tobacco, vanilla, espresso coffee, and fine wood. The mouth is ample, enveloping, and deeply velvety, carried by silky tannins that gradually melt into the matter. The wine coats the palate with an impression of controlled richness, between black fruit, spices, roasted notes, and warm minerality. The finish is long, dense, and persistent, with a sensation of elegant power that marks the great cuvées of La Négly. This 2023 clearly deserves a long aeration if opened young, but it can also wait many years in the cellar. It will ideally accompany royal hare, woodcock, aged rib of beef, noble game, roasted pigeon, Languedoc stew, or a truffled dish.
Grape varieties: Syrah, Grenache
