The Cahors vineyards are roughly equidistant (200 km) from the Atlantic, the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean. Then, the vineyards is kept out of the Atlantic humidity and of the Autumn Mediterranean rains but close enough to take advantage of the ôAutanö wind (wind coming from Sahara).
This right micro-climate helps to mature the grapes in September and October and makes no rain harvests
Our vineyard is located on the plateau that looks down upon the Lot river valley.
It is more than 67 acres of exclusively chalky-clay lands, watered only by natural rain (French law forbids artificial watering for vines) giving our wine its unique taste.
Plots are located on different places around the village of Cournou within a distance of 5km from the winery.
The various richness of clay in the soil allows the elaboration of different cuvees.
The quantity of clay in the soil will be a factor of the terroir productivity.
This parcel diversity is regularly renewed throughout plantation campaigns.
For some time, we have decided to make future our first choice when elaborating our wines and fully satisfying your expectations.
For quality, traditional wine making with no use of any yeast, nor aromatic additive is our work. Our oaky wines are aged in real oak barrels (no oaked chips, powder nor any toasted oak additive). Our wines are regularly awarded to recognize the quality.
For environmental conservation, our decisions are based upon a respectful treatment of our plots (use of phytosanitary products for organic recommended, use of copper as less as possible), technical adjustment for soil protection (accredited wash area, green fertilizers, our farm produced manure).
And this process has just been awarded by a national certification as
HVE (Haute Valeur Environnementale) Estate
The main grape, the Cot Noir, also called Malbec used to be blended to Merlot Noir and to Tannat (these two complementary grape should not exceed 30%).
Nowadays and especially at the Domaine du Prince mainly due to grass covered rows and thinning out, cuvees are 100% malbec.
Le Merlot noir apporte de la rondeur, du moelleux, du bouquet.
Le TannÔt renforce les qualitÚs du cÚpage principal.
AujourdÆhui, une meilleure maitrise du cÚpage Malbec notamment grÔce Ó lÆenherbement et lÆÚclaircissage, permet aux vignerons dÆÚlaborer des vins 100% Malbec.
During grape-harvest, the grapes are first mechanically then manually selected.
Sent in thermoregulated stainless steel vats, the crop will macerate until first fermentation.
A long maceration (about 4 weeks) will extract tannins and colour .
It is a traditional vinification
The wine will then be ageing in vat for the cuvees Domaine du Prince and Rossignol and in barrels for the ChÛne du Prince and Lou Prince.
Bruno decides the ideal moment for bottling the wine.
The Domaine du Prince is a fleshy, harmonious and rustic wine of Cahors. With variants in the process of time, it smells of blackcurrant, truffle and undergrowth beyond natural qualities owing to soil, climate and grape varieties.
