HISTORY OF DOMAINE: In 1970, when there was a great exodus from the Languedoc due to a loss of faith in its vineyards to provide a sufficient living, Jean-Pierre Jullien named his domaine "Cal Demoura", which in Occitan means “one must remain”. He came from a long line of vignerons and, at that time, he followed most of his colleagues as they closed their caves and attempted to survive by participating in the local cooperative. Jean-Pierre's son, Olivier, refused to follow the path of the cooperative and established his own domaine, the "Mas Jullien", in 1985. Jean-Pierre, in a reversal of the usual process, took the example of his son, resigned from the cooperative and recreated his own estate in 1993. He sold off a portion of his vineyards and retained only the best 5 hectares. With these, he began making a wine of regal dimensions that helped to lead the qualitative revolution in the Languedoc. In 2004, Jean-Pierre retired, selling the estate to its current owners, Isabelle and Vincent Goumard. Seduced by the estate’s winemaking philosophy, as well as by the potential of its terroir, the couple spent a year working side by side with Jean-Pierre in the vineyard and in the cellar, before taking full control of the estate.

COMPOSITION OF DOMAINE: The five hectares are located in the village of Jonquières and in the neighboring community of Saint Felix, approximately 45 minutes northwest of Montpellier, just south of Clermont l'Hérault. They are situated in the heart of the Terrasses du Larzac, an independent subdivision within the Coteaux du Languedoc AOC that was recognized in 2004. The vineyards feature five grape varieties in approximately equal parts: Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah, Carignan and Cinsault. The average age of the vines is 25 years with significant parcels of Grenache, Cinsault and Carignan being considerably older. The soil is very dry and stony with a deep but porous topsoil. The various parcels of the domaine are distributed over a terroir that is both geographically and climatically diverse. These variations, combined with an assortment of different cépages, result in wines of complexity and finesse.

METHOD OF VINIFICATION: Isabelle and Vincent are committed to producing wines that respect the environment from which they come, and express both their terroir, and the personality of the winemaker. In the vineyard, the Goumards treat organically and harvest manually. Harvest levels are approximately 30 hectoliters per hectare. In the cellar, they practice classic vinification.

"L'Etincelle" Vin de Pays de l'Hérault Blanc :First produced from newly-acquired parcels in 2004, this white is a blend of grapes in which Chenin plays a principal role. The Chenin gives it its exceptional freshness, and Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Viognier and Muscat round out the blend, adding complexity and balance. Low yields and rigorous selection in the vineyard, followed by careful vinification result in an intense and racy wine, fully expressive of its terroir.

"Qu'es Aquo" Rose: A rich, expressive and aromatic rosé, the Qu’es Aquo is made in the same spirit as the domaine’s red wines, using the same five cépages – Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Carignan – but in a different blend that favors Cinsault and Syrah. The rosé is saignée and vinified like a white wine to emphasize its aromatics. The Qu’es Aquo is a substantial rose that pairs well with food.

Coteaux du Languedoc Rouge "L'Infidèle": The historic cuvée of Jean-Pierre Jullien, L'Infidèle is a blend of all the regional grapes – Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Carignan. The Goumards make choices in the vineyard and in the cellar that will emphasize finesse and freshness in this bottling, allowing for full expression of the fruit. The grapes are partially destemmed. Temperature is rigorously controlled. The cuvaison can extend for as long as three weeks with frequent remontage. The Carignan and Mourvedre are frequently aged in older barrels for twelve months, while the Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault usually remain in cuve for the duration of the élevage. The five varieties are assembled in cuve and aged for eight months more prior to bottling. The wine is bottled without filtration.

Coteaux du Languedoc Rouge "Les Combariolles": Produced from a single parcel located halfway between Jonquières and Montpeyroux, "Les Combariolles" is an elegant cuvée composed of the three “noble” grapes of the region – Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre – in equal parts. The Goumards feel that this parcel produces a wine of more refinement than one typically finds in the Languedoc – a shade less rustic than “L'Infidèle”. “Les Combariolles” is vinified along the same lines as “L'Infidèle”, but with a longer cuvaison and an eighteen month élevage in 500 liter barrels. The final blend spends six months in cuve before bottling.

GROWER PORTFOLIO:
"L'Etincelle" Vin de Pays de l'Hérault Blanc
Coteaux du Languedoc Rouge "L'Infidèle"
Coteaux du Languedoc Rouge "Les Combariolles"
"Qu'es Aquo" Rose
Please visit the Goumards' excellent web site for more information.