La Marotte
Languedoc · La Tour sur Orb, Hérault · Natural
Julie Thelen and Xavier Auboux run La Marotte in Clairac in the Mare valley, Hérault. Natural wine with no additives, no added sulphites, hand-harvested. Their wines are named after places and moods from their everyday lives — not grape variety or appellation.
Region
Languedoc
Certification
Natural
Subregion
La Tour sur Orb, Hérault
Wines from La Marotte
Shop La Marotte's wines →Red
2Bienvenu-e-s2025
Aramon from 1945 meets young Grenache (2006) and old Cinsault — co-fermented in alternate layers in vat for one week. More young Grenache added at pressing for freshness. Layers of fruit and floral aromas. Easy-drinking, fresh and ridiculously moreish.
kr 156
Résiste2025
Carignan Noir from 1969 carbonic-macerated in whole, intact bunches in an anaerobic atmosphere, blended with Grenache (15-day maceration). Fruity, well-structured red with tropical fruit typical of carbonic maceration and vibrant Grenache.
kr 156
Grapes we work with
About La Marotte
La Marotte is situated in and around the village of Clairac, part of La Tour sur Orb, in the north of the Hérault département. Julie Thelen and Xavier Auboux farm some six hectares of vines that are organic (according to the producer). Two-thirds of the vines are old and head-pruned — the gobelet method — on mostly mixed plots: Carignan Blanc, Carignan Noir, Cinsault, Oeillade, Ugni Blanc, Aramon, Terret (all 3 colours), Grenache (all 3 colours), Vermentino, Mourvèdre, Morastel, Alicante, Clairette, Grand Noir de la Calmette and more. One-third are younger, trellised vines pruned using the Cordon de Royat or Guyot method. The harvesting is done manually. The grapes are pressed slowly and gently in a vertical hydraulic press dating from the 1930s. The wine is fermented and aged in stainless-steel or glass-fibre vats. Racking and bottling is done by gravity. Vinification occurs without any input whatsoever — no added sulphites, yeasts, clarification agents or enzymes. The wine is not filtered. Grapes, grapes and only grapes go into their bottles — except lashings of love.