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Wine Tasting Adventure

2021 Domaine Cauhapé, `Ballet d'Octobre` Jurançon Moelleux - Liberty

£12.99 GBP
£12.99 GBP

In 1970, winemaker and label artist Henri Ramonteu took over his family’s cattle farm in the Jurançon village of Monein. He sold the cattle, purchased four hectares of vines and founded Domaine Cauhapé, making his first sweet wines in 1980 (as is traditional in Jurançon), followed by dry wines in 1984. Today, the domaine is regarded as one of the appellation's finest producers.

Domaine Cauhapé comprises 54 hectares of sustainably farmed vineyards, planted on south/south-east-facing slopes, at an elevation of 450 metres, in the foothills of the Pyrenees. The soils are siliceous clay, which offers excellent water retention and prevents vines from shutting down during the hot, dry summer months. The vineyards are planted with Petit Manseng, Gros Manseng and Courbu, as well as lesser-known indigenous varieties such as Lauzet and Camaralet.

Domaine Cauhapé makes classical expressions of Jurançon, showcasing the best of what this region has to offer. The dry wines complement each other with differing styles. Blending Gros Manseng with Lauzet, ‘L'Éclipse’ is rounded and fleshy thanks to spending five months ageing on its lees. Conversely, the ‘Chant des Vignes’Jurançon Sec, made with Gros Manseng and Camaralet, is remarkably fresh with an intensely elegant, dry palate of honey and ripe stone fruits, enhanced by stainless steel fermentation.

Jurançon is famed for its sweet wines, and Domaine Cauhapé produces beautiful examples made from 100% Petit Manseng. The wines are sweet and decadent while also beautifully balanced, thanks to the grape variety's naturally high acidity. The 'Symphonie de Novembre' is made with grapes that undergo ‘passerillage’), remaining on the vine until November to dry and concentrate their sugars without being affected by noble rot. The wine is aged for 10 months in oak barrel and spends the last six months in tank before bottling. The result is a complex sweet wine with aromas of honey and toasted sweet spices. The 'Ballet d'Octobre' is made with late-harvested grapes picked and aged for a total of eight months in oak before bottling. Sweet and fruit-forward, it is bursting with notes of passionfruit and lychee.

The vineyard is situated on siliceous-clay soils with southeast exposure, cultivated under sustainable practices without insecticide use. Yields are maintained at 35 hectoliters per hectare to ensure fruit concentration and quality. Grapes are hand-harvested in small quantities in late October, allowing for optimal ripeness and careful fruit selection.

The 2021 vintage delivered well-balanced conditions for Jurançon, characterized by a cool summer followed by a sunny autumn. These favourable weather patterns preserved natural acidity while allowing late-harvest grapes to develop consistent structure and concentration. The extended ripening period resulted in wines with excellent equilibrium between freshness and complexity.

Grapes were de-stemmed and underwent 12 hours of skin contact maceration before being gently pressed in a pneumatic press. Only the first pressing juice was selected for fermentation. Alcoholic fermentation took place in oak barrels, followed by 8 months of maturation in oak.

The wine is fresh and lively on the nose, delivering intensely exotic aromas of mango and passion fruit. Smooth and well-balanced on the palate, it offers a delightful blend of lychee, peach, and apricot flavours with a wet stone note on the finish. The wine displays great delicacy and elegance.