Domaine du Clos des Cazaux Vineyard, Vacqueyras
48 hectare vineyard with AOC Vacqueyras, AOC Gigondas & AOC Côtes du Rhône
Clos des Cazaux is a family-run wine domaine that has been growing vines and making wine for five generations, starting with our ancestor Gabriel ARCHIMBAUD at the turn of the twentieth century, the first man to sell Vacqueyras wine by the bottle, with the village and estate name on the label. The domaine is now run by Jean-Michel and Frédéric VACHE.
Regarding its size, the domaine covers 48 hectares, of which 24 hectares are AOC Vacqueyras, 20 are AOC Gigondas and 4 are AOC Côtes du Rhône.
Our annual production is approximately 130,000 bottles, made from a selection of our best plots. Half of this is sold in France through the usual retail outlets and at our own tasting rooms, while the other half is sold abroad, principally in Belgium, Holland, England, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, the USA, Canada and Japan. The remaining grapes are sold to the village wine-making co-operative in Vacqueyras.
The domaine's land comprises two principal soil types:
20 hectares surrounding the domaine buildings, situated on terroir that is less typical of the Vacqueyras appellation, namely the clayey, sandy slopes of Aptian sandstone (dating back, geologically, to the Aptian age). These represent only 10% of the Vacqueyras appellation and allow us to produce high quality white, rosé and Syrah-based red wines.
15 hectares situated on slopes at the extreme south of the Gigondas appellation, on a hill in the very heart of a magnificent range of rocky peaks, the Dentelles de Montmirail. This land lies in the shadow of the ancient medieval ruins of a former watch tower. The "Sarrasin Tower" dates back to the 8th century, (when the Muslim Moors or Sarrasins were making frequent and devastating raids into Provence from Moorish Spain) and has belonged to our family since the 1950s. This unusual terroir, situated on south-facing slopes, infuses our Gigondas wines with the powerful energy of the sun, tempered by the coolness of the night mountain air.
The grape varieties that we grow to produce our red wines are primarily black Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. However we are keen to add into our blends some of the "forgotten" varieties such as Aubun, Counoise, Cinsault, Muscardin and Carignan. For our white wines we principally use old vines of Clairette, to which we add some Roussane, Grenache Blanc and a little Viognier.
Directions
See the map and streetview links above for how to find the vineyard.
When to come
Open for visits and tastings all year but try to call ahead to book in.
