DOMAINE DE MAYRAC, Couiza, Aude

During the year 2000 Domaine de Mayrac passed into new ownership as previous owner/vigneron, Gino Buoro, decided to take a well-earned retirement. Gino had been in charge for over 20 years and for most of that time was cultivating both organically and biodynamically. The new owners have maintained the Organic status.

Bringing in a new winemaker with experience in the region, the first fully cultivated and vinified range of wines showed a definite step up in quality, more marked in the red wines, which were not Gino's strength, but also in the whites.

Laurent Vives has coaxed more of the flavour of Burgundy out of the Pinot Noir and the Chardonnay (and the always stunning AOC Limoux Blanc). Not only that, he is having enormous fun with the wines and laughs his socks off when talking about his Tradition Rouge which shows good fruit concentration for a Bordeaux-style red.

But it is his Burgundy-style which is his signature - the Pinot Noir is drinkable NOW, and will continue to improve. The Chardonnay is a wine to lift your spirits; fresh, tropical, unoaked.

The AOC Limoux, Chardonnay blended with Chenin and Mauzac and barrel-fermented, is as fine a southern French wine as I've tasted at this price. The Cremant de Limoux, a Chardonnay-based sparkling wine, made in the champagne style, has real finesse at half the price of champers.

For more information about this vineyard, the wines and prices, or if you would like to purchase some of this wine, please complete our on-line enquiry form