|
||||||
Wine Home
|
Just a mile and a half away is the Gallo-Roman villa Séviac, the third most visited site in the Gers département. Discovered by a farmer plowing his fields several decades ago, the intricate mosaics have been preserved to their original splendor of the fifth century AD. Some feature vines, and it is entirely probable that vines were planted on the slopes of Pellehaut 1,500 years ago! Pellehaut, from the roman pila haut (high point), is owned by the Beraut family. Gaston Béraut oversees the domaine, which also includes cattle, wheat and sunflowers. One son, Martin, is the vineyard manager, commonly found between the vines. The other, Mathieu, is the winemaker. Mathieu studied under Yves Grassa at nearby Château de Tariquet, as well as at Château Beycheville in Bordeaux and, during one harvest in the nineties, was Jim Clendenon’s right-hand man at Au Bon Climat in Southern California. The vines at Pellehaut are planted on the slopes of the rolling hills, with the lower land being reserved for the other crops as well as grazing ground for their blonde d’Aquitaine breed of cattle. The cows eat the grass and the property’s hay during the winter and their manure is used to nourish the vineyard, enabling the Bérauts to nourish the earth without synthetic fertilizers.
During the mid-nineties, a large quantity of wine was produced at Pellehaut, but nearly all of it was sold in bulk (at a high price) to negoçiants who would then bottle the wine with a different label. Bottling their own wine didn’t appeal much to them, as it took too much effort to sell it to a private market afterwards. The Bérauts knew, however, that it was important to bottle their own product to get respect within the wine world. Mathieu particularly wanted to put some of his studies to better use than selling vat after vat of wine to an unknown clientele. So little by little, he began bottling more wine and experimenting with various blends using a combination of tank and barrel aging. On the property he had plenty of grapes to choose from; colombard, ugni blanc and folle blanche (notable distillation grapes), sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, gros and petit manseng, tannat and merlot. Some blends were studies that have disappeared, others became regurlar releases. Symphonie is a blend of chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and gros manseng with barrel fermentation. L’été Gascon (the Gascon summer) is an off-dry blend of gros manseng and chardonnay. Ampelomeryx is a blend of chardonnay and petit manseng, fermented and aged in new oak.
The Cuvée Harmonie is Pellehaut’s most popular wine and must be considered as one of the best values on the market. Made with a blend of ugni blanc, colombard, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and gros manseng, with a cool fermentation and aging sur lie, the wine exhibits qualities of more expensive wines from the Loire valley while retaining the crisp, floral snap that Côtes de Gascogne wines are known for. The red wines are normally blends of merlot and tannat, the supple fruitiness of the former with the structured richness of the latter. Cuvée Harmonie is made in tank and great for everyday drinking in a wide range of settings. Les Marcottes, a blend of 70% tannat and 30% merlot and aged in quality oak for 18 months, is more serious and best with some serious protein on the table. The Harmonie rosé has been a delightful surprise! Bled from the Les Marcottes cuvée, it is bright, fruity and clean, great by the glass or with a large variety of foods. Harmonie Blanc: Made with 40% Ugni Blanc, 20% Gros Manseng, 20% Colombard, 15% Chardonnay and 5% Sauvignon Blanc. Red grapefruit, citrus fruits and an intriguing herbal note make for an ideal flavor combination. The wine sees no malolactic fermentation, which helps guard its acidity and make it especially refreshing. Chardonnay Fruit: 100% Chardonnay from 15-year-old vines. Aged in new and used 420 liter oak barrels, part of which was barrel fermented. Plenty of pear notes on the nose with a touch of tropical fruit and vanilla. Fruity palate with a touch of oak and plenty of nuance. Good length. Excellent value! Harmonie Rouge: Made with 90% Merlot and 10% Tannat, aged in tank. Dark fruit and plum on the nose. Rich, full-bodied palate. Light finishing tannins. Les Marcottes: Made with the oldest vines on the property with low yields that give excellent concentration. Brooding dark fruit with a dollop of plummy richness, this wine offers amazing value! Big wine for the money! Want to buy? Copyright © 2008 Charles Neal Selections |
|||||
With 180 hectares (445 acres) planted, the Béraut family has some of the largest vineyard holdings in the Côtes de Gascogne region of Southwestern France. Located at 180 meters altitude overlooking the quaint village of Montréal-du-Gers, the vines are planted on several different types of soil, including mixtures of clay and limestone along with sand interspersed with small limestone pieces.
