THE DOMAINE

20 km/12 miles north-west of Montpellier, and situated between Pic St Loup, Montpeyroux and St Georges d'Orques, Domaine du Poujol currently has 18 hectares of vines on south-facing hill slopes and terraces above the River Mosson. 10 hectares are classified as Appelation Controlée Coteaux du Languedoc, and 8 hectares are classified as Vin de Pays in the Val de Monferrand. The remainder of the 66 hectare Domaine is 'garrigue', the southern French name for dense evergreen shrubs and small trees, with numerous herbs and wild flowers.


The microclimate of the Domaine is cooler than average for the Languedoc. Cooling breezes from the Cevennes to the north moderate the warmer airflows from the Mediterranean 25 km/15 miles to the south-east.

Typical summer temperatures are 20°-33°C/68-91°F, with 40°C/100°F the hottest temperature experienced since we bought the Domaine in 1994. The lowest recorded temperature was -8°C/18°F, but most winters are mild, with some frosts and light snow. Rainfall occurs in all months of the year, but mainly in the autumn and spring, averaging about 900 mm /36 inches per year.


For more details see diagram on "Where to buy page"


The limestone-derived soils are suited to making well-structured wines. The hillside location means that there is a range of soil-types helping to give complexity to the Domaine wines. There is a higher than usual concentration of magnesium in the nutrient balance of the soil, and this is thought to give wine freshness. White wines, in particular, benefit from this and from late ripening due to the relatively cool microclimate.


Chemicals are avoided in cultivating the vines. Ploughing the aisles between the vines keeps weeds down and opens up the soil allowing better drainage, avoiding soil erosion and compaction from tractors. Shoot selection and canopy management with high trellising improves air circulation around the bunches of ripening grapes, reducing the need for fungicides and leading to more even ripening. See Production Philosophy for a more detailed discussion.

Harvest usually extends for a six week period from early September to mid-October to bring in each variety at maximum ripeness.

Natural wild yeasts are used to start fermentation to bring out the character of the individual varieties.

CONTACT US
DOMAINE DU POUJOL
34570 Vailhauquès, France
Telephone +33 (0)4 67 84 47 57
Fax +33 (0)4 67 84 43 50
Email cripps.poujol@free.fr

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