H&B Minervois
H&B Minervois expresses the sun-filled and spicy personality of Syrah in harmony with the softness of Grenache and the intensity of Carignan. 70% of the blend is aged in new, first and second year oak barrels of differing sizes.
Most of the grapes are sourced from the drier areas of Les Mourels and Les Coteaux where the vines grow along with the garrigue on sandstone soils that are less sensitive to dryness. To the west, Syrah is planted in cooler places which take advantage of the oceanic influences. Growing on limestone clay soils, these grapes are able to withstand a dry year thanks to the clay subsoil’s water retention capacity.
Reveals intense berry fruit flavors dominated by the rich and peppery Syrah; this wine is exceptionally soft with silky fruitiness coming from the Grenache.
About the Producer
Hecht & Bannier
Maison Hecht & Bannier is a ‘Negociant Eleveur’ dedicated to sourcing and then blending wines from the Mediterrean regions. They started in 2001 with partners Gregory Hecht and François Bannier assembling four cuvées of Southern France appellations.
Convinced that the Roussillon to Provence region has not yet received the international recognition that it deserves for its quality and diverse vineyards, they have expanded their passion for blending and now visit hundreds of producers to select the best juice. Often the grapes come from vineyards in the cooler foothills where it isn’t unusual to see hundred year-old vines.
The goal is to have the H&B label become the bench-mark for wines in a range of appellations, allowing wine-lovers to discover the extraordinary quality and wealth of the region.
Each blend is usually based on 5 to 10 samples from the 15-30 that have been pre-selected; some very good wines are rejected because they do not express H&B’s vision of the appellation. The blend can change between vintages to remain true to each specific geographical origin, while emphasising particularly successful grapes or vineyards in each harvest.
Once the long selection process has come to an end, H&B then begin to create the blends and decide the ‘elevage’ options. The overiding aim is to conserve the typical Mediterranean strength in their wines while preserving balance and vitality for all the appellations produced.
In 2022 they achieved B Corp certification. This international label rewards businesses that aspire to be agents of change and measure their social and environmental impact, accelerating the transition towards a more inclusive, fair, and regenerative economy.
