Domaine Gayrard, Milhavet, on the northern edge of Gaillac in southwest France, and a family estate with nearly five centuries of history behind it. Limestone plateau, shallow stony soils, oak and truffle country near the Tarn, with Cordes-sur-Ciel just up the road. Maurice Gayrard was one of the first in Gaillac to bottle his own wine back in 1950, then hard times hit in the 1990s and the vines gave way to cereal crops for years.
Then in 2013 his great-grandson Pierre Fabre came back with his partner Laure and brought the vines back with him. Twelve-odd hectares now, farmed biodynamically, Demeter certified, hand harvested, native yeast ferments. And the real mission is replanting indigenous Gaillac grapes, roughly one new variety a year, which tells you a lot about the long view this pair are taking.
Gaillac is one of France’s great forgotten regions, full of grapes you can barely find anywhere else. Braucol, also known as Fer Servadou, Duras, Mauzac, and the gloriously named Loin de l’Oeil, “far from the eye.” Duras is juicy, peppery and fresh, black raspberry and white pepper with light tannin. Mauzac does the sparkling and the still whites, with a Mauzac pét-nat style bubbly in the range too. Loin de l’Oeil white is the one that’s been picking up serious praise, acacia honey, elderflower and garrigue over lemon and green apple, with a Burgundian tension.
The estate’s open to visitors too, tasting, cellar tours, bike rides, a guinguette in summer. Wine as sharing and conviviality, as the Fabres put it. A pretty lovely philosophy.
Old family, old grapes, old limestone, and a very fresh take on a region that deserves a lot more attention.
Domaine Gayrard, Milhavet, on the northern edge of Gaillac in southwest France, and a family estate with nearly five centuries of history behind it. Limestone plateau, shallow stony soils, oak and truffle country near the Tarn, with Cordes-sur-Ciel just up the road. Maurice Gayrard was one of the first in Gaillac to bottle his own wine back in 1950, then hard times hit in the 1990s and the vines gave way to cereal crops for years.
Then in 2013 his great-grandson Pierre Fabre came back with his partner Laure and brought the vines back with him. Twelve-odd hectares now, farmed biodynamically, Demeter certified, hand harvested, native yeast ferments. And the real mission is replanting indigenous Gaillac grapes, roughly one new variety a year, which tells you a lot about the long view this pair are taking.
Gaillac is one of France’s great forgotten regions, full of grapes you can barely find anywhere else. Braucol, also known as Fer Servadou, Duras, Mauzac, and the gloriously named Loin de l’Oeil, “far from the eye.” Duras is juicy, peppery and fresh, black raspberry and white pepper with light tannin. Mauzac does the sparkling and the still whites, with a Mauzac pét-nat style bubbly in the range too. Loin de l’Oeil white is the one that’s been picking up serious praise, acacia honey, elderflower and garrigue over lemon and green apple, with a Burgundian tension.
The estate’s open to visitors too, tasting, cellar tours, bike rides, a guinguette in summer. Wine as sharing and conviviality, as the Fabres put it. A pretty lovely philosophy.
Old family, old grapes, old limestone, and a very fresh take on a region that deserves a lot more attention.
Image 1 of 5
Image 2 of 5
Image 3 of 5
Image 4 of 5
Image 5 of 5