La Sorga

It was in 2008 that I created La sorga (which means the source in Occitan), a trading and winemaking structure for natural wines.

The goal was to produce a range of natural white wines from the finest terroirs of the Languedoc. So I visited nearly 300 old vineyards, all organically farmed and a good number biodynamically cultivated, throughout the Languedoc region. My love for vines, coupled with my tendency to overdo it, led me to change my plans (the more vineyards I visited, the more I fell in love…) and I opted for a wide range of wines, both red and white, a little rosé, sparkling wines, and sometimes late-harvest and oxidative wines!

Today we work on nine vineyard plots spread across the Aude and Hérault departments, representing a total of approximately 25 hectares. These terroirs are very diverse, both geologically (schist, clay-limestone, basalt, sand, granite, etc.) and climatically (very hot Mediterranean zones, mountain areas, hillsides, etc.). The grape varieties include more than twenty different types, the majority of which are indigenous: Terret Blanc and Gris, Cinsault, Grenache, Aramon, Carignan, Aubun, Nielluccio, Colombard, Bourboulenc, Mauzac, Vermentino, Ugni Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Mourvèdre, etc. All the vines are cultivated organically, and about half are farmed biodynamically. Since 2018 we have started working on our own vines on an area of just under one hectare and plan to plant 3.5 ha on our new site in Villautou (Aude).

Regarding winemaking, everything takes place in our Montagnac winery . The grapes are harvested by hand, in 15 kg crates, and then vinified with strict respect for the terroir and the fruit, without any added additives (no sulfites) and without filtration or fining (we remove nothing, we add nothing!). We work almost exclusively with maceration , often blending grape varieties (but always keeping each terroir separate), and we almost never regulate temperatures. The aim is to stay true to the terroir and, above all, not to overpower the wines with winemaking techniques. Finally, we are fortunate to vinify very old vines (most over 50 years old, and some up to 110 years old), resulting in highly concentrated juices (average yields of 15 to 23 hl/ha in bountiful years!) which require long aging, primarily in stoneware jars but also in tanks .

In short, these are wines that clearly benefit from being aged for between one month and one year after bottling. They are as vibrant as we are, and exuberant in their youth, but after a year of cellaring, they readily offer themselves to you without decanting… Then it's up to you whether you cellar them, because from the simplest to the most elaborate, these are all wines crafted with aging in mind. Without compromise, you will either love them or hate them, but they will not leave you indifferent; they are a reflection of our personalities, our work, and our commitment!

The Sorga

The Company of Real Brutal Wine

Antony, Audrey, Alexandre and David.

Information

Domain Name:
La Sorga
Winemaker's Name:
Antony Tortul
Country:
France
Region:
Languedoc
Appellations:
Languedoc, Occitanie, Vin de France
Grape varieties:
Colombard, Mauzac, Sauvignon, Chasan, Niellucciu, Muscat à petit grain, Cardinal, Listan, Picpoul, Grenache gris, Chenin, Mourvèdre, Mauzac jaune, Sauvignon blanc, Grenache noir, Muscat d'alexandrie, Gamay, Pinot noir, Cinsault, Terret bourret, Grenache, Grenache blanc, Granche blanc & gris, Duras, Braucol, Merlot, Cabernet sauvignon, Carignan, Syrah, Chardonnay, Muscat, Petit manseng, Gros manseng, Viognier, Vermentino, ?, Terret, Bourret, Colombard et aramon, Marsanne, Mourvedre, Ugni-blanc, Bourboulenc, Cabernet franc, Sauvignon gris, Alicante, Aramon, Aubun, Alicante bouschet, Côt, Tannat, Merlot carignan, Noir de la calmette, Terret-bourret, Grenchae, Muscadelle, Loin de l'oeil, Marianne, Terret bourret gris