Le Suquet keeps a watchful eye on the Aveyron grains
Four AOPs—Marcillac, Estaing, Entraygues-Le Fel, and Côtes de Millau—represent a terroir long underestimated: at Le Suquet, Aveyron wine is not just a supporting player, it's a conviction championed by Sébastien Bras and Théo Larroque, head sommelier. Larroque, who keeps a watchful eye on the selection with his assistant Pierre, and remains on the lookout for new vintages and emerging estates, ensures that local appellations and their winemakers occupy a well-deserved place on the wine list.
Aveyron wines in the spotlight
Théo Larroque and his assistant Pierre visit vineyards and tasting rooms to create their selection and take great pleasure in serving these "local" wines
Since visiting the Aveyron wine fair in Espalion, Théo has grown the Suquet wine cellar. "The appellations are gaining in quality, new winemakers are emerging, and an Aveyron wine is still available by the glass. We benefit from a magnificent terroir in Aveyron, it's up to us to showcase it," he summarizes.
On the white side, recent discoveries are appealing. He readily cites Domaine de Moncles, which only vinifies Chenin Blancs of great precision near Conques, and Domaine Mousset, whose Le Peyrouty cuvée, a straight, taut Chenin Blanc with remarkable length, pairs magnificently with the Gargouillou, which is all about vegetation.
"The macerated white wine from Domaine Beauregard, in Estaing (chenin and mauzac), is quite brilliant," rejoices Théo, "and reveals itself readily when it is paired with the cheese platter from the House, with an old Laguiole aged for 24 months, for example."
Five new estates have thus joined the cellar, alongside established names like Domaine du Cros (Teulier family) or the wines of Jean-Luc Matha. For the reds, the grape variety is almost unique: Mansois or Fer Servadou, an indigenous variety also found in Gaillac under the name Braucol, which produces structured and fresh wines with notes of blackcurrant and blackcurrant buds.
They age gracefully: animal, jammy notes, almost reminiscent of Cabernet. "We are currently bringing out some 2008s which are holding up very well," explains the sommelier.
As for pairings, the Mansois will perfectly complement a lamb from Lévézou or the Mouvant, a little-known cut of Aubrac beef that Sébastien likes to cook for his guests.
A vineyard to rediscover
However, these winemakers sometimes suffer from an outdated reputation, even though their wines have improved considerably and are now finding their place on some fine wine lists in the Southwest.
Indeed, faced with these bottles, two very distinct reactions, notes Théo mischievously: "the Aveyron locals, wary of a Marcillac, are pleasantly surprised; the other customers in search of local wines, who were expecting Languedoc, discover Aveyron and are delighted.".