CHÂTEAU MONTFIN : JEWEL OF THE CORBIÈRES

Château Montfin, unlike many vineyards, has not been handed down from father to son through the generations but we are passionate about wine and in love with nature. Indeed, the story of Chateau Montfin tells of this passion together with falling in love with a jewel of Corbière that is Peyriac de Mer. It was partly by luck that we discovered this small village, but it was love at first sight for its narrow medieval streets and its square shaded by majestic plane trees. A walk in the surrounding countryside completed our seduction. How could we resist the imposing arid limestone plateaus that descend all the way to the lagoons, and the scents of the garrigues that blend with spindrift as one approaches the lagoons. Those lagoons where sterns and flamingos bask in a halo of ever-changing light. Ever since Peyriac de Mer has been our corner of paradise. So, when we heard that there was a vineyard for sale we didn’t hesitate for long. In September 2002 the adventure began.

THE PROPERTY

THE PROPERTY

In total the domain covers approximately 125 acres of which 50 are of vines. The rest is a mix of garrigue, almond, olive and truffle oak plantations providing a whole panoply of aromas.

For the very start we were wedded to the principle of developing a vineyard with traditional grape varieties and the best complimentary varieties known as “improvers”.

In this way Carignan, Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault varieties constitute our red and rosé wines while our whites are a combination of Roussane, White Grenache and Vermentino.

The plots of vines at Chateau Montfin are divided into those with light coloured soil and those with red soil coloured by iron oxides.

THE VINE

THE VINE

For us, each stage in the development of the vine has an impact on the quality of the wine. Consequently we work in close communion with the plant, we study it closely in order to constantly adaptour methods according to weather conditions and attacks that could endanger it.
Biodynamic cultivation principles are applied to the preparation of treatments (decoctions, liquid manure...) to protect the vines.
We are equally attentive to the structure of the vine applying only a light physiological pruning accompanied by the removable of excess buds in springtime.

A wide variety of vines allow us to produce batches that are vastly different though the multitude of blends that are possible.

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THE WINERY

THE WINERY

Care of the vine, extreme attentiveness to the plant, manual picking and meticulous selection of the grapes ensures that only healthy grapes, without mould nor deterioration but at optimal maturity, arrive at the winery.

Consequently, some actions in the winery become facultative which satisfies our desire to minimise our interventions.

We seek to create the impression, in the nose and on the tongue, that in our wines the fruit has just been picked. This explains our recent purchase of stoneware amphoras which preserve a maximum of the original grape aroma.