Domaine Grand Guilhem: Languedoc Wines in Freedom
Gilles and Séverine Contrepois are the winemakers at Domaine Grand Guilhem, located in the heart of the Corbières region within the Fitou appellation. The idea of a wine tourism project led them from the capital to the south of France, where they have transformed Domaine Grand Guilhem into a place that reflects their vision.
Gilles and Séverine are leaving Paris to become winemakers in the Languedoc
Gilles and Séverine arrived at the estate in 1997. Originally from Paris, they decided one day to change their lives and moved to the Languedoc to become winemakers. “The idea just came to us,” Gilles explains, “we wanted to do something different, so we thought it over and decided to pursue a wine tourism project.” ” The couple then set out in search of their dream estate. They visited several appellations and finally settled in Languedoc, in the Fitou appellation, on the estate they renamed: Domaine Grand Guilhem.
“We wanted a property with facilities capable of accommodating guests. For us, it was a no-brainer. First, because it’s a financial advantage. If one business is doing better than the other, it helps balance things out. Second, we were leaving Paris, where we had a very active social life. We didn’t want to lose that, and we wanted to host people to stay connected with the world. That seemed important to us,” recalls Gilles.
The wines of Domaine Grand Guilhem: hidden gems waiting to be discovered
The Grand Guilhem estate produces wines of exceptional quality and welcomes visitors: it offers lodging and wine-tasting classes for wine enthusiasts.
When they arrived, the estate was a member of a cooperative winery where the grapes were vinified. Patiently, year after year, the couple—new winemakers—worked to develop the project, eventually building their own winery and vinifying the wines on the estate. A long-term effort that came to fruition in 2011 and has borne fruit, as the Grand Guilhem estate now offers 9 different cuvées: white wines, rosé wines, red wines, naturally sweet wines, orange wines, wines aged entirely in barrels, or aged in jars… undoubtedly, Gilles is a man of great curiosity who isn’t afraid to experiment.
“The jar allows for micro-oxygenation—in other words, it lets the wine ‘breathe’—in a completely neutral way, unlike what happens in barrels. It helps settle the tannins and anthocyanins while imparting a great deal of purity,” explains Gilles. It’s a container with many advantages, and one that the winemaker knows how to use to craft surprising wines.
“I work on intuition,” he explains, “I don’t have any set process. I chose this profession so I could feel completely free and work as an artist.”
A freedom he has claimed and embraced, in the name of which Gilles did not hesitate to step outside the region’s prestigious appellation: the Fitou AOP. This decision would give its name to the “Pas pareil” cuvée. “My wines didn’t fit the appellation profiles. So I left the appellation to regain the freedom to make the wines I love, that I enjoy, and that fully respect the terroir,” explains Gilles.
Our Estate's Favorite Cuvées:
Organic Farming and Natural Wines: An Expression of the Terroir
In addition to his creative freedom, Gilles’s determination and convictions drove him to convert the estate to organic farming as soon as he arrived. “I never imagined working any other way. From the very beginning, I knew I didn’t want to use any herbicides or chemical fertilizers,” says the winemaker, who recalls with a smile: “It was 1997; I was considered a bit of an oddball back then. But it was obvious to me—I see myself as simply a tenant of the land I work on.”
In 2011, Gilles signed on to the natural wine charter. “Which means that my wine contains nothing but grapes,” the winemaker points out with a twinkle in his eye. It’s a fact: native yeasts, minimal sulfites, and no chemicals. “I don’t think you need any artificial additives to make a wine that truly reflects the terroir. The goal of winemaking is to support the grapes without over-manipulating them just to please everyone. Some people like my wines, and others don’t; but they leave no one indifferent,” concludes Gilles.
Feel free to explore the wines of the Grand Guilhem estate
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