Domaine de Miselle

THE CÔTES DE GASCOGNE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

After having prospered thanks to Armagnac, the Domaine de Miselle was restructured and began to diversify its products by producing local Côtes de Gascogne wines. This change occurred when Luis Ocaña, a cycling champion, acquired the estate in 1974. However, the death of Luis Ocaña put a stop to the estate's activity. In 1998, the Chevallier family took over the reins of the Domaine de Miselle to bring it back from the ashes. They chose to follow in the footsteps of Luis Ocaña and focused on the Côtes de Gascogne. This resulted in the installation of a modern wine cellar, followed by the marketing of the estate's first bottles of Côtes de Gascogne wines. Today, this family-run business strives to produce Gascony wines that express the terroir while minimising the impact on the environment. These efforts have been noticed by the press!

THE CUVÉES OF DOMAINE: DRY AND SWEET WHITE WINES FROM SOUTH-WEST FRANCE

The Domaine de Miselle currently produces various Côtes de Gascogne IGP wines. They are made from vines growing on hillsides with sandy-silt soils and located around the vinification cellars. The estate is located on a terroir that is particularly favourable to the cultivation of white grape varieties. Today, Julien Chevallier markets, among other things, high quality dry and sweet white wines from South-West France. Representing a large part of the production of Côtes de Gascogne, dry white wines are generally fresh and fruity. Various grape varieties are used in their production, including Colombard, Gros Manseng, Sauvignon and Ugni Blanc. Made from Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng, the sweet white wines are rich and soft.

For the production of white wines, the vineyard of Domaine de Miselle is composed of:

• Colombard: it is the flagship variety of the Côtes de Gascogne and only flourishes in the Gascony region. It gives aromatic notes of citrus and exotic fruit to the wines. Julien Chevallier uses it in combination with Gros Manseng to make dry white wines.
• Gros Manseng: this variety is combined with Colombard to give structure to the wines. It gives aromas of apricot and quince.
• Petit Manseng: at Domaine de Miselle, this grape variety is used to make sweet white wines. It has a good balance between sweetness and freshness, and brings a pleasant crispiness to the wine.
• Chardonnay: this grape variety is mainly used to make dry white wines. Julien Chevallier offers a cuvée made entirely from Chardonnay.

SUSTAINABLE VITICULTURE

At the Domaine de Miselle, the vineyard is managed according to a sustainable viticulture approach. Since 2000, Julien Chevallier has been advocating integrated viticulture. This method of cultivation allows the production of healthy and ripe grapes, as naturally as possible, and expressing the specificities of the terroir. Within the framework of sustainable cultivation, the estate rarely uses chemical treatments in order to limit the impact on the environment.

To preserve the quality of the production, the family relies on permanent grassing of the plots. This method reduces the use of chemical products, but also combats soil erosion. To maintain the soil and encourage biological activity, the manures used are of organic origin. In addition, the Chevalier family practices leaf removal and thinning to limit the yield and ensure perfect ripening of the grapes. These different interventions allow the full potential of the terroir to be exploited and expressed through the wines. More concentrated and fruity, the wines produced at the estate perfectly express the characteristics of the Gascon terroir.

L’ARMAGNAC, ORIGINE DU SUCCÈS DU DOMAINE

In the 19th century, long before the production of Côtes de Gascogne, the Domaine de Miselle was already making Armagnac. Today, Julien Chevallier continues to produce it, but in small quantities compared to the wines. Racy and elegant, the estate's armagnacs are now available in two cuvées: Bas Armagnac VSOP and Bas Armagnac Hors d'Âge. These armagnacs are made entirely from Ugni Blanc grapes planted on sandy-silt soils. Do you like wines with character and quality armagnacs? The selection proposed by the Domaine de Miselle will satisfy you. Enjoy the tasting!