Since 2008, all our vineyards have been officially registered as being under conversion to organic viticulture, as controlled by Ecocert. This environmental commitment is not a market-led, politically-correct statement, rather it is a formalisation of the way we have been working for several years. During this time, we have seen an improvement both in the health of the vines and in the balance of the wines. As our aim is to express the terroirs of the domaine, we see the cornerstone as being the health of its vineyard ecosystems.
The finest and best adapted red grape varieties traditionally grown here are the Grenache Noir and the Carignan Noir.
Many of the gnarled vines are over 100 years old and from these the true taste of the region can be found; intense, vivid fruit and wild thyme, fennel, rosemary and juniper aromas.
To these, Syrah and Mourvedre (with their origins in the Rhone valley and Provence or northern Spain, respectively), add depth and structure to the wines.
From former times, tiny amounts of red-fleshed Morrastel Bouchet, Alicante Bouchet, and Grenache Rose still exist. Although not known for its white wines, this area has a great potential for wines made from Grenache Blanc and Grenache Gris, with small amounts of the long-forgotten Terret Bourret, Carignan Blanc and Blanquette.
Each of these varieties has a place in the final blend of the wines.
La Serre – A dry, characterful, white wine, made from Grenache Blanc and Grenache Gris, which shows light citrus flavours with notes of spearmint and minerality, opening up to give white peach, cashew nut and light spices on the palate.
La Sorbeille – A dry, rich, deep coloured rosé, made from Syrah with Carignan and Grenache Noir, showing pronounced red fruits, particularly cherries and wild raspberries with cream and pain d’épices.
Le Fournas – A medium bodied red made from Syrah, Grenache and Carignan with ripe plums and loganberries, brown sugar and leather supported by fresh acidity and soft tannins.
Magneric – A medium to full bodied red made from Old Vine Carignan, Old Vine Grenache and Syrah. intense, deep black and red fruits, particularly ripe blackberries and wild raspberries, complemented by a light barrel note. The tannins are fairly dense but soft and ripe and compliment well this full and concentrated palate
In addition to these, we release other cuvées, blends or single varietals where we feel the vintage has been outstanding. Examples of these are the Carignan and Celèstra.
Case of 12
