France — wine

Faugeres

One of Languedoc's most distinctive and quality-focused appellations, Faugères produces powerful, aromatic reds and increasingly exciting whites and rosés from Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Carignan on the schist soils of the foothills north of Béziers. The appellation's unique friable schist — which drains perfectly, retains heat and imparts a distinctive mineral character — combined with the Mediterranean climate and altitude creates wines of concentration, complexity and genuine terroir expression that distinguish Faugères from generic Languedoc.

Year Rating Notes
2023 Outstanding Mediterranean year; Faugères schist Grenache and Syrah of remarkable mineral complexity
2022 Warm but structured; good concentration from the schist with the appellation's characteristic mineral character
2021 Elegant and precise; one of the decade's finest Faugères vintages with fine acidity and mineral depth
2020 Reliable southern year; authentic schist expression across Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre
2019 One of Faugères finest recent vintages; age-worthy, complex schist reds of benchmark quality