La Liquière is a 60-hectare family-run property entirely devoted to Faugères, an appellation located on the low foothills of the Cévennes which is known for its stony, hard ground (the famous schist soil here is very permeable and acidic, with low fertility). François Vidal, his sister Sophie, his brother-in-law Laurent and their parents share the daily task of cultivating the vines and vinification, following the seasons. Although Sophie and Laurent are oenologists, François is trained in law. Twenty years later, though, he needs no-one to plead in his favour, having long since won the room over. The Vidals are undergoing the second year of organic conversion, cultivating their vines with care and consistency. Here, biodiversity has been preserved and they work hard, with manual ploughing and organic fertilisers, to maintain it. That's why the domain, located amid scrubland and green oak forests, is entirely cultivated by hand, despite abrupt slopes. The domain's wines are an ideal reflection of the expression of this schist terroir, sited at an altitude of between 150 and 400 metres. The red wines are produced traditionally from Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Mourvèdre and Cinsault; the whites are made from Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Terret and Clairette.

The Vieilles Vignes cuvée presents a remarkable expression of this schist terroir. It is made from old plots of Grenache and Carignan, which are traditional varieties for the appellation. The blend also contains a smaller proportion of Syrah, for its seductive, flavourful character, and Mourvèdre for rigour. The grapes are picked at optimal ripeness, and thus yields are reduced. Aged exclusively in vats, with no time in wood, this is a crunchy, fruity wine in which the characteristics of these old grape varieties have been successfully preserved. Red fruit is combined with lovely mineral notes, good concentration, clean structure and exceptional length on the palate, accompanied by silky tannins.