Description
Bellouguet means ‘pretty little place’ in Occitan, and is the name of the hamlet within the La Colombière estate in Fronton. This is a complex, food-friendly wine with a very pleasant evolving bouquet: black fruits, prunes, forest floor, blond tobacco, and spices (pepper, precious woods, cloves). The balance is exquisite; it will delight connoisseurs and pairs beautifully with duck breast and autumn vegetables or marinated red meats.
In the vineyard, in the cellar
- Grape varieties: 40% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon planted together, 50% Négrette
- Area / Average age of vines: 0.90 ha – 60 years (1959)
- Soil: White Boulbènes, pebbles on red clay
- Farming: Organic – BIODYVIN-certified biodynamic and Biodynamie
- Vinification: Hand-harvested, transferred to vats by gravity. Destemmed, uncrushed grapes. Natural fermentation at an average of 27°C for 30 days in raw concrete vats without extraction. Natural vinification. Malolactic fermentation and ageing in 30hl casks – partial blending with Négrette from the Coste Rouge cuvée (Négrette plot on pebbles and red clay)
- Ageing: 30hl Stockinger/Rousseau casks for 36 months. Unfined, racked and unfiltered
The experts’ verdict
This iconic estate in the Villaudric terroir produces particularly authentic and easy-drinking wines. A determined and enthusiastic young winemaking couple, Diane and Philippe Cauvin have chosen since 2006 to manage their vineyard using biodynamic methods (certified in 2012). Always full of energy, they have made a name for themselves with a first-class wine tourism offering for groups and individuals alike. Available in several cuvées, some made entirely from Négrette, the style of La Colombière’s wines is balanced, refined and subtle, without artifice or embellishment. This exemplary personal vision serves as a valuable benchmark in the current development of the Fronton appellation.
What to eat with a Fronton Bellouguet from La Colombière?
- Red or marinated meats
- Duck breast and pan-fried autumn vegetables
- Mushrooms (porcini, chanterelles)
