Domaine Plageoles
(Photos courtesy of Isabelle Rosembaum)
The wines of Gaillac as a whole are on the map today as wines of quality due to the hard work and adventurous spirit of the Plageoles family. It all started with Robert Plageoles, who took great pride in bringing back the lost indigenous varieties of the area. He researched and replanted over a dozen varieties (7 in the Mauzac family alone) indigenous to Gaillac that had all but vanished. Robert did painstaking work, often going in to the forest to find wild vines growing, and going to seed banks to resurrect these grapes. Robert’s son Bernard continued this work, and now his sons Florent and Romain have taken up the cause of natural wines in Gaillac.
The terroir in Gaillac is made up of clay, limestone, sand and silex soils. Gaillac receives more sunshine than Bordeaux and is graced by a cool maritime climate. Between the historic family vineyard of Très Cantous and the Roucou-Cantemerle vineyard totaling 20-hectares, they farm Mauzac Vert, Mauzac Noir, Ondenc, Duras, Muscadelle, and Prunelart. To drink the wines from Plageoles is to experience the fruit and terroir of living history.
The Plageoles are one of the oldest winemaking families in the AOC, and they are thoroughly invested in retaining the traditions and quality for the AOC that had been often overlooked, that however, have now been receiving well-deserved praise.
Check out Levi Dalton’s interview with Florent Plageoles on episode 255 of the I’ll Drink to that Podcast!
View photos from the Plageoles 2011 Harvest Gallery
Certification: Practicing Organic.
Duras: — Back to the top
Yields: 35 hl/ha
Pruning Method: Gobelet
Soil: Argilo-Calcaire
Varieties: Duras
Vinification Method: Traditional winemaking
Tasting Note: Nearly black in the glass with deep red highlights. The nose is dense with ripe black fruit and smoky notes of wood backed by dried savory herbs. The palate is a rich and delectable expression of concentrated red and black fruit flavors hewn to a sturdy wood frame. This powerful, yet elegant red exhibits layers of depth and complexity, it finishes with supple mineral infused tannins.
Pairing: Grilled steak, leg of lamb, cassoulet, venison, hearty stews and char-grilled meats.
Mauzac Nature Sparkling : — Back to the top
Grape: Mauzac Rose.
Vineyard: 40+ years old vines on clay and limestone. Estate-owned, organic-certified, farmed by the Plageoles family.
Making of: Méthode Gaillacoise, ie. the oldest sparkling-wine-production method, also known as “rurale”, “artisanale” or pet-nat. Direct pressing, followed by overnight débourbage. Native yeast fermentation. When the wine reaches 30g of residual sugar, it is filtered to stop the alcoholic fermentation and bottled; the prise de mouse (creation of the bubbles in the bottle) takes about 3 months. Zero dosage added.
Tasting Note: Straw yellow and is somewhat cloudy in the glass with ultra-fine bubbles. A supple citrus and yellow apple (almost cider-like) scents dominate the nose. This creamy and concentrated gem is savory with white fruits, with just a suggestion of citrus sweetness. A note of marzipan and vibrant acidity dovetail beautifully on the elegant finish.
Pairing: Before dinner with paté or aged meats and light cheeses. Also works beautifully with river fish, grilled shrimp, smoky curries, pork loin and herb encrusted roast chicken or simply by itself.
Muscadelle Sweet/Semi-Sweet:— Back to the top
Plageoles Muscadelle tech sheet
Age of Vines: 40-60 years
Yields: 15 hl 3,000 bottles
Pruning Method: Gobelet
Soil: Schist and clay
Varieties: Muscadelle
Vinification Method: Traditional winemaking
Tasting Note: Very rich notes of honey blossom on the nose. The palate is loaded with apple, dried apricot and quince paste with a flowering honey finish.
Pairing: With foie gras, custard, fruit tarts and pies, chocolate desserts, dried fruit and aged cheese.
Ondenc Gaillac : — Back to the top
Age of Vines:
Yields:
Pruning Method: Gobelet
Soil:
Varieties: Ondenc
Vinification Method:
Tasting Note: Pale yellow color with reflections of hay. The nose is full of white fruits and pears. Freshness and bright acidity make this a lovely spring wine.
Pairing: Fish, trout with cauliflower, lettuce, gazpacho, lobster and crab.
Prunelart : — Back to the top
There are only about 20-hectares in France of this largely forgotten grape that has disappeared because of phylloxera. It was well known in the 16th century.
Soil: Clay and limestone
Varieties: Prunelart
Vinification Method: Traditional winemaking
Vin de Voile : — Back to the top
Pruning Method: Gobelet
Varieties: Mauzac
Vinification Method: Traditional Winemaking. Aged under “veil” or “sous voile” for seven years.
Tasting Note: Honey color. A nose of nut,orange peel, almond paste, dried fruits and spiced apples. The mouth is fine and charming with pleasant oxydation, and a long finish. Close to a great Jura wine.
Syrah : — Back to the top
Age of Vines: 40-60 years
Yields: 30 hl/ha
Pruning Method: Gobelet
Soil: Clay and limestone
Varieties: Syrah
Vinification Method: Manual harvest. Vinified in concrete tanks with the use of indigenous yeast. Short alchoholic fermentation (8-10 days depending on the vintage). Twice daily pigeages. Bottled after one year in vats without fining or filtration.
Tasting Note: Concentrated spice and aromas of leather give way to a palate of lush red raspberries and blueberries with very fine tannins.
Pairing: Roasts and stews peppered with rosemary, dried fruit and aged cheese.
Mauzac Vert : — Back to the top
Age of Vines: 50-60 years
Yields: 35 to 40 ha
Pruning Method: Gobelet
Soil: Clay and limestone
Varieties: Mauzac Vert
Vinification Method: Whole grape bunches are pressed and vinified in concrete tanks with the use of indigenous yeast. Short alcoholic fermentation (8-10 days depending on the vintage). Temperature is controlled to be within 18-22 degrees Celsius.
Braucol— Back to the top
Varieties: Braucol (also knowns as Marcillac and Fer Savadou)
Age of Vines: 30+ years
Yields: 30 hl/ha
Pruning Method: Gobelet
Soil: Clay-sand and clay-limestone
Vinification Method: grapes from one vineyard are destemmed and go through traditional fermentation with remontages while the other part from another plot goes through carbonic fermentation with whole bunches. Native yeast only, 8 to 10 days. After alcoholic fermentation, the two wines are blended together. Aged in tank for 6 months, bottled withou filtration, with a small dose of sulfur.
Mauzac Noir— Back to the top
Age of Vines: 30 years
Yields: 35 to 40 ha
Pruning Method: Gobelet
Soil: Clay and limestone
Varieties: Mauzac Noir
Vinification Method: Grapes are destemmed and vinified in concrete tanks with the use of indigenous yeast. Short alcoholic fermentation (8-10 days depending on the vintage). Temperature is controlled to be within 18-22 degrees Celsius. The wine is racked twice after malolactic fermentation finishes. The wine is lightly filtered before bottling.
Terroirists Rouge— Back to the top
The Terroirists wines come from the Plageoles family’s own impressive bush vines; unlike their other wines that are single-varietal, this range is based on blends (or field-blends) of multiple indigenous varieties.
Grapes: A blend of all the many different grape varieties indigenous to Gaillac that the Domaine grows, including the rare grapes they’re trying to save from extinction in their vine conservatory (Mauzac Rose, Gris, Roux, Vert et Noir, Verdanel, Ondenc, Duras, Braucol, Prunelart, Mourtes, Morrastel, Piquepoul Gris, Jurançon Noir, Prunelart Blanc, Nehelescol…)
Vineyard: bush vines on clay-limestone. Estate-owned, certified organic, farmed by the Plageoles family themselves.
Making of: The grapes are hand-picked and spontaneously fermented in tank as whole clusters (carbonic maceration). Pressed into old 225L barriques for ~10 months of elevage. Bottled unfined, unfiltered, with a tiny bit of sulfur (15ppm total).
Personality: rounded and savory and beautifully fruity – a true medley of succulent fresh and cooked fruit that makes this red intensely glou. Chill well and enjoy!
Terroirists Orange— Back to the top
The Terroirists wines come from the Plageoles family’s own impressive bush vines; unlike their other wines that are single-varietal, this range is based on blends (or field-blends) of multiple indigenous varieties.
Grapes: Muscadelle (80%); Mauzac, Ondenc, Verdanel, Loin de L’œil & Sauvignon (20%)
Vineyard: bush vines on clay-limestone. Estate-owned, certified organic, farmed by the Plageoles family themselves.
Making of: the grapes are hand-harvested. The Muscadelle is whole-bunch macerated for 11 days, pressed and then aged in demi-muids for 9 months, the remaining varieties are direct-pressed and aged in tanks. Both spontaneous and ML fermentation happen spontaneously. The two parts are blended at the end of elevage. Bottled unfined, unfiltered, with a tiny bit of sulfur (20ppm total).
Personality: charming orange with notes of dried fruit, candied orange peel and exotic spice like curry or turmeric – super cool food-pairing material! Our fave combo is with some not-too-strong cheeses, Indian / Moroccan cuisine or poultry, but don’t hesitate to have fun finding your own matches. Or to drink it on its own .)
Terroirists de Printemps— Back to the top
The Terroirists wines come from the Plageoles family’s own impressive bush vines; unlike their other wines that are single-varietal, this range is based on blends (or field-blends) of multiple indigenous varieties.
Grapes: Braucol (50%) and Duras (50%)
Vineyard: bush vines on clay-limestone. Estate-owned, certified organic, farmed by the Plageoles family themselves.
Making of: the grapes are hand-harvested and vinified separately: both receive 24 hours of skin maceration and then the free-run juice is fermented with indigenous yeast in stainless steel tanks where it rests for about 9 months. Bottled unfined, unfiltered, with a tiny bit of sulfur (15ppm total).
Personality: fruit, fruit, fruit! The ultimate juicy rosé / light red that drinks easy like Sunday morning, no matter which day it is.
Contre-Pied Rouge— Back to the top
Total Bottles Produced: 6000
Age of Vines: 30 years
Yields: 40hl/ha
Soil: Clay and limestone
Varieties: Duras
Vinification Method: The grapes for this wine are purchased from organic neighbors, to make a wine from duras that is totally different from the estate bottled Duras the Plageoles make. The grapes are fermented carbonically in barrel and then remain in barrel for 7-8 months of elevage. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered with a small addition of sulfur.
Contre-Pied Blanc— Back to the top
Soil: limestone
Varieties: Mauzac
Vinification Method: The grapes for this wine are purchased from organic neighbors, to make a wine from Mauzac that is totally different from the estate-bottled wines Plageoles make. The wine is vinified slowly over 6 months in tanks, without skin contact. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered and with a small addition of sulfur.
Contre-Pied 2— Back to the top
Fun fact: this glou red wine is mainly made with Braucol, a traditional (and probably indigenous) grape for the South West of France yet little known elsewhere. It’s sometimes called Fer (French for “iron”) due to the very hard wood of the vine’s canopy that makes it difficult to prune and trellis.
Grapes: 70% Braucol, 30 % Duras
Vineyard: limestone of the Cordais plateau (Duras), red Grésigne clay (Braucol). In conversion to organic.
Making of: The grapes are hand-harvested, destemmed and macerated in tanks with indigenous yeasts. The wine then spends 6 months in stainless steel.
Personality: bramble, cherry, blackcurrant; soft tannins and zingy raspberry-like acidity. Highly drinkable red with great value, best served chilled.