Provence

Domaine du Cagueloup – Bandol

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The Estate

At Domaine du Cagueloup, the winemaking tradition has thrived for nearly 21 generations.  Straddling the municipalities of Saint Cyr and la Cadière, the vineyard of Cagueloup tells the story of little Richard Prebost who once swallowed a gold coin, causing slight anxiety in his father.  Panic-stricken, the father shouted, “Cague l’ou!” or “Spit it out!”  From there is where the curious name of Cagueloup has its origins.

Spread over 40 hectares, including 18 in AOC Bandol, on terraces and hills near the foot of Sainte Baume, the domaine grew over time as 6 generations of ancestors acquired surrounding land parcels close to the wine cellar.

Situated on clay and limestone soils, the vineyard benefits from the Mediterranean climate, with sea breezes that blow clean and protect the vines from disease.

30 years is the average age of the vines, whose sap brings a fruity finesse to the whites and rosés, and a surprising edge to the reds.

In the vineyard, working of the soil is part of the traditional winemaking culture.  The harvest begins during the final week of August, and is manually done with a limited yield of 35 hl/ha for the white and rosé wines, and 30hl/ha for the reds.  The white grapes of the domaine, Clairette and Ugni Blanc, are cultivated on the Bru, Bergerat, Audiberte, and Le Péras plots.  The harvest of the white grapes comes prior to the grapes used for rosé, Grenache and Mourvèdre, which takes place in September.  The final harvest is for the red wine grapes, which occurs at the end of September to the beginning of October.

For 30 years, Richard Prébost has dedicated himself to continually bettering his winemaking.  He eventually opted to use stainless steel for all his winemaking equipment: the grape crusher, the tanks through the pneumatic presses, and temperature control for the fermentation of each wine.

Before pressing, the new harvest is cooled to 10-12 degrees Celsius for maceration at a very low temperature.  The wines are aged in the cellar, about 7 meters underground in new oak casks of 50 hl (for reds).  The resulting wines of Cagueloup are regularly awarded at the Concours Agricole de Paris.


Bandol Rose

Bandol Rosé

Location: The vineyard is situated between La Cadière-d’Azur and Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer.

Soil: Clay-limestone

Grape Varieties: Mourvèdre, Grenache, Cinsault

Average Yield: 36 hl/ha

Harvest: Manual

Vinifcation: The grapes are destemmed, pressed, then cooled with the use of a tubular heat exchanger. Direct pressing. Settling/debourbage 24 hours later. Yeasting with select yeasts. Alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel vats for around 15 days with temperature control.

Aging: 6 months aging in steel tanks. Bottling in early March after filtration.

Tasting Notes: This wine has a lovely salmon pink color with rose gold reflections. The nose is expressive, rich, and elegant. It opens with aromas of citrus (grapefruit, kumquat), peach, mango, and passion fruit. On the palate, this is a powerful yet well-balanced wine with nice volume and roundness. The finish is saline with a lovely freshness. It lingers on aromas of peach and nectarine. This is a generous wine, typical of the rosés made in Bandol.

Food Pairings: Perfect with Mediterranean/Provencal cuisine, as well as grilled lamb or fish, and spicier dishes.

 

 


Bandol Rouge2

Bandol Rouge

Soil: Clay-limestone

Grape Varieties: Mourvèdre, Grenache, Carignan vieilles vignes

Average Yield: 30 hl/ha

Harvest: Manual

Vinication: The grapes are destemmed, pressed, then fermented in concrete vats.  Pre-assembly of the grape varieties upon receipt of the grapes.  Yeasting with select yeasts.  Alcoholic fermentation for 20 days with temperature control.  Daily extraction operation. Devatting and pressing of the marc.  Press wine separation.  The wine is brought up to a temperature of 20°C to promote the start of malolactic fermentation.

Aging: 18-24 months in French oak barrels. Very light or no filtration prior to bottling, depending on the clarity of the wine.

Tasting Notes: Black cherry color. The nose is profound and intense, opening on notes of ripe, black and sour cherries, licorice, and chocolate. The barrel aging lends it complexity and toasted notes of spice and vanilla. Generous on the palate with lovely structure, and elegant and silky tannins. On the finish, there is a mix of black fruit and spice. This is a powerful wine with excellent cellaring potential.

Food Pairings: Pairs well with red meat, wild game, and stews, as well as with truffle and aged cheeses. Particularly good with spicy dishes.

 

 


Bandol Blanc

Bandol Blanc

Soil: Clay-limestone

Grape Varieties: 50% Clairette, 50% Ugni Blanc

Average Yield: 38 hl/ha from 2.3 ha

Vinification: Direct pressing of whole bunches of grapes, débourbage, temperature controlled vinification in steel and concrete vats

Tasting Notes: Pale yellow coloring with lime reflections.  The bouquet has a delicate finish, with notes of dried flowers, sweet spices, fresh yellow flowers, and citrus.  On the palate, this wine is soft and smooth, well-balanced and generous, with notes of citrus, as in the bouquet.

Food Pairings: Pairs well with tapas or grilled fish seasoned with herbs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


VDP Mont Caume

Vin De Pays du Mont Caume Rosé

Grape Varieties: 55% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 10% Carignan, 5% Cinsault

Soil: Clay and limestone

Average Yield: 60hl/ha

Vinification: The harvest is done manually, then refreshed by a Tubular Exchanger at a temperature of 15°C.  48 hours after racking, fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks for 10-15 days with a controlled temperature of 14°C.

Maturation: 6 months in stainless steel vats, followed by bottling in early March after filtration.

Tasting Notes: Beautiful pale rose in color.  This wine is a pleasure to drink, with hints of boiled sweets supplanted by blackcurrant, gooseberry, and mineral notes.  On the palate, it is round, fruity, complex, and generous.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Côtes de Provence Rosé

Grape Varieties: Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvèdre

Soil: Clay-limestone

Yield: 55 hl/ha

Harvest: Manual

Vinification: The grapes are destemmed, pressed, then cooled with the use of a tubular heat exchanger. Direct pressing. Settling/debourbage 24 hours later. Yeasting with select yeasts. Alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel vats for around 15 days with temperature control.

Aging: 3 months in stainless steel vats. Bottling after filtration.

Tasting Notes: The nose is elegant and expressive, with citrus notes of grapefruit, mandarins, peach, and other yellow fruit. On the palate, this wine is round and well-balanced, with lovely freshness on the finish.

Food Pairings: This wine is excellent as an aperitif, as an accompaniment to grilled meats, and paired with Mediterranean/Provencale cuisines.