Cave de Crouseilles

The names

The AOC Madiran is located in the village of the same name, 40 km from Pau, in a land devoted to the cultivation of the vine since antiquity. In the 11th century, the wines of Madiran were already famous, and they reached excellence between the 16th and 18th centuries. Henri IV used to serve it to the guests he received in his castle in Pau.

The king grape variety of Madiran is Tannat, the appellation's grape varieties are completed with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. They thrive on the clay-limestone soils and rolled pebbles characteristic of this terroir. The region's climate brings humidity in the spring and alternating cool, hot and dry weather in the summer. These conditions produce aromatic wines of great intensity.

The AOC Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh is on the same geographical area as Madiran, but it concerns white grapes. It covers 300 hectares on which regional grape varieties such as Petit Courbu, Arrufiac, Petit Manseng and Gros Manseng are found. At this altitude, the vines benefit from warm days and cool nights. The appellation takes its name from the "pacheras", chestnut tree stems used as stakes for the vine plants. The Crouseilles winery offers wines in the Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh appellations of excellence, which have received numerous awards.

The AOC Béarn is made up of three distinct areas from the south of the Gers to the Hautes-Pyrénées and also including some communes in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. The vineyard was planted several centuries ago in this area, but it was destroyed during the phylloxera crisis and entirely replanted afterwards. The main grape varieties of the appellation are Tannat, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Château de Crouseilles

The Château de Crouseilles is an ancient seigneury, the first vines were planted on its lands in the 14th century. The estate develops and acquires a beautiful fame from 1737 thanks to the work of Jean de Dombidau. The property declined at the end of the 19th century. The cooperative cellar of Crouseille bought it in 1979, the building was restored and the winegrowers started to renovate the vineyard.

A new vintage "Château de Crouseilles" is born in 1986. It is a wine in AOC Madiran with a brilliant purple color. The nose is very aromatic with a palette of fruity and spicy aromas, enhanced by notes of licorice and vanilla. It is a well-balanced and powerful wine with a silky mouthfeel, supple tannins and an intense finish with good length. The cuvée benefits from a long ageing and can be drunk quickly, but kept in the cellar for several years, it will always offer a beautiful moment of tasting. It is a bottle to be reserved for special occasions, it will be the perfect accompaniment to meat in sauce, Basque cheese or a dessert combining red fruits and chocolate.

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