Vinocap exhibition in Cap d’Agde: the Saint-Georges d’Ibry estate, a sure bet in the Hérault vineyards

Yann Alcaraz, maître de chai du domaine, est présent sur le salon Vinocap ce week-end. MIDI LIBRE – OLIVIER RAYNAUD

Du côté d’Abeilhan, la famille Cros vinifie une vingtaine de cuvées gorgées de soleil.

If you really want to know what a local wine is, take a look at the Saint-Georges-d’Ibry estate stand. It is in Abeilhan that Michel Cros, his wife Marianne and Jean-Philippe, their son, who took over, preside over the destiny of a campaign created in the 19th century and which has been passed down from generation to generation ever since. .

Twenty-three vintages on the counter

Cailer master on the estate for three years, Yann Alcaraz takes a fond look at the twenty-three vintages produced on a vineyard managed according to the recommendations of the Terra Vitis and HVE labels. Yes, you read correctly, twenty-three vintages! "Suffice to say that there is something for everyone", laughs Yann. Maturing was of course, with the red vintage “1,860”, also in jars, with the splendid vintage “Marianne”, the winemaker's tribute to his marry. But where the domain stands out is in the value for money. We think in particular of the vintage “L’âme des Pins” (12 €), named in homage to the forty century-old pines uprooted by a terrible Tramontane in 1996, or to the white “Folle Sagesse” (15, 20 €). In the range of really well-made wines from friends, the “Cheminshared” does the job, just like the single varietals, whether viognier or chardonnay (around 8 €).

Wines that are competition beasts

So many arguments that make the wines of Saint-Georges-d’Ibry real competition beasts. In Béziers recently, the Saint-Aphrodise prize for dry muscat and that of the City for the “Excellence blanc” vintage, came to reward the work at the estate. Without forgetting five gold medals at the Paris Agricultural Competition and four at the Independent Winegrowers Competition this year, which sound like so many commercial assets at a time of scrapping in markets where competition is raging . Next year, a twenty-fourth vintage will complete the offering, so to speak, since the Floréal blanc vine, a resistant grape variety, will give its first grapes this summer. We're enjoying it in advance!