First fine white for François Lurton

François Lurton, impressed with the Burgundy-style local white wines in the Valley d’Algy decided to take the fruit from the old forgotten white vines at his Mas Janeil estate and produce a fine white wine with the capacity to age – the ‘Traou de l’Ouille’, white Côte de Roussillon. The 2009 is its first vintage.
 
The last remaining very old white grape vines grow in a hollow in the vineyards on the Mas Janeil estate at Maury, in the Pyrénées Orientales. These Grenache and Macabeu  40 year old bush vines produce very small concentrated grapes in this harsh dry windy climate.

François Lurton discovered the 24 hectare estate of Mas Janeil between Maury and Tautavel in 1996 and began making wines there. In 2009 he was able to purchase the property after the the owner retired. The estate lies on the steep south facing slopes of the Corbières Massif overlooked by the Cathar Castle of the Château de Queribus.
 
The grapes are picked by hand from the old gnarled bush vines and undergo traditional winemaking. The wine is aged in large 600 litre barrels (demi-muids) with regular stirring of the lees for a period of 10 months to add further complexity and richness.
 
The Macabeu brings acidity and freshness and the Grenache complements the blend with richness and a touch of spice.

 
Vineyard Fact File
Macabeu: 60%
Grencahe Gris: 40%
Yield: 25 hl/ha
Vineyard Density: 3200 vines/ha (planted in a square 1,75m)
 
About François Lurton
He is the fifth generation of the Lurton wine family, wine producers in Bordeaux since 1897. He created his own business in 1988 with his brother Jacques which today he runs single-handedly. Today he is the owner of a number of unique vineyards in five countries in both hemispheres of the world; Argentina since 1996 (Mendoza), Chile since 1999 (Colchagua), Spain since 2002 (Rueda, Toro, Castilla y Leon), France since 2001 (Languedoc-Roussillon, Gers), Portugal since 2006 (Douro). His father, André Lurton is a wine producer in Péssac-Léognan (Château La Louvière, Château Couhins Lurton).
 

1 January 2011 - Felicity Murray