Domaine des Schistes

The aptly named Domaine des Schistes is owned by Jacques and Nadine Sire. It is based in the village of Estargel, surrounded by barren rocky landscapes, the beautiful white capped Pyrenees to the south and the Mediterranean due east.

Hard core machinery is needed to replace the ancient vines as they die, blowing holes in the rugged schistous rock that can support only vines and scrub (garrigue), mimosa, almond trees, rosemary and thyme, giving a wonderful scent to vineyard meanders. The windy exposure and dry climate make disease rare, though oidium tends to thrive in these conditions.

Winemaking is traditional for these parts: carbonic maceration for the Carignan to extract juicy fruit flavours from the century-old vines; foot-trodden syrah and grenache (minimum of 40 years old) in knee high vats to maintain a consistent temperature and achieve plenty of extraction by keeping the cap perpetually almost submerged.