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Le Domaine  Coste Rousse ...
                                                  between Simplicity and Creativity.

The Vines

Great wines are above all need great grapes.  The Taix family knows this only too well and strive constantly to obtain the best possible quality.

Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Clairette and Muscat form the white range.  For the reds it’s the fantastic true southern grapes such as Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Carignan, Cinsault and also the more northern stars like Merlot, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

An average of 5000 vines are planted per hectare.

Pruning, which previous generations considered a true art, is still done entirely by hand.  The replanting started in the 1970’s uses guyot, Royat cord or fan style. 

Double wired trellises increase the foliage exposed to sun and air.

The vineyards are ploughed to control weeds and the principals of ‘culture raisonnee’ are respected, meaning a profound respect for the soil, using just a minimum of organic fertilizer to keep the soil healthy and fertile.

At harvest time it is above all the generations of experience that determine the quality of the wine. Patrice and Jean-Pascal know just by tasting the grapes – the fruitiness of the juice, the sweetness of the skin, the crunch of the pips – when is just exactly the right moment to start harvesting.  This means the grapes can be left totally natural - with no need for either added sugar or acidification.

A very special ‘Terroir’

Un Terroir particulier :
 The vineyards are spread out around Magalas, a lovely old village at the heart of the Cotes de Thongue, with an average altitude of 110m. with various types of soil and facing various directions.  This has enabled each varietal to be adapted to a particular soil to full advantage.

Merlot, Cabernet and Chardonnay are grown on sandy marls. Syrah, Grenache and Carignan are planted on Villafranchien terraces or, to the north of the village, on sandstone.
 
 
 

 The Wine

Our wonderful new cave looks out over the village and the ancient hilltop settlement called ‘Montfo’ by the locals.  It has been built to the highest standards to provide the very best modern conditions and latest methods for production.  There is also a retail outlet where customers can taste the fine wines at their leisure and take part in various special events throughout the year.

Careful, Traditional Winemaking:

Each varietal is vinified separately. 

The reds are vinified in concrete vats with careful control of temperatures and twice daily remontage to ensure a gentle extraction of flavours.  The average maceration time is at least 21 days, so the maximum amount of flavinoids remain in the wine, making sure that your daily glass of red wine really is as healthy as possible!  The Syrah from the Font de Lautre vineyard is vinified using the traditional method of carbonic maceration.

The CR is left in oak barrels for 12 to 18 months, depending on the year.

For the whites:   The grapes are pressed using inert gas.  After a light settling of the must, the temperature of the fermentation is controlled at 14 to 16, producing a fine, fruity wine. It is left in the vat with its sediment for 6 months.  The white CR is fermented in new barrels with regular stirring.

 Wines of character:   Whether it be TAIX or CR, the wines of our domaine seduce you with their originality and quality.  They are the fruit of much labour, years of experience, an exceptional microclimate and of an inspiration born of simplicity and CReativity.

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