At Domaine Grand Guilhem: freedom and creativity produce wines of great quality

Gilles and Séverine Contrepois are the winemakers of 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 Paris to the south of France, where they transformed Domaine Grand Guilhem to reflect their own vision. These natural wines, which express the aromas of the terroir, are original, memorable, and crafted with great passion and dedication. Gilles tells us about his estate, his wines, and his philosophy. A lover of freedom, he takes us on a journey through the vineyards of Languedoc.

Gilles and Séverine are leaving Paris to become winemakers in Languedoc

Gilles and Séverine arrived at the estate in 1997. Originally from Paris, they one day decided to change their lives and moved to the Languedoc region to become winemakers. " The project came about quite naturally ," explains Gilles, " we wanted to do something different, we thought about it, and we decided on a wine tourism project. " The couple then set out to find their dream estate. They visited several appellations and finally settled in the Languedoc , in the Fitou appellation, on the estate they renamed Domaine Grand Guilhem.

“ We wanted an estate with a structure capable of accommodating holidaymakers. For us, it was completely obvious. First, because it’s a financial advantage. If one activity does better than the other, it helps to compensate. Second, we were leaving Paris where we had a very important social life. We didn’t want to lose it and we wanted to welcome people to stay in touch with the world. It seemed important to us ,” recalls Gilles.

Grand Guilhem wines: hidden gems to discover

The Grand Guilhem estate produces excellent quality wines and welcomes visitors: accommodation and tasting courses are offered to wine lovers.

Upon their arrival, the estate was a member of a cooperative winery where the grapes were vinified. Patiently, year after year, the new winemaking couple worked and developed the project to create their own winery and vinify the wines on the estate. This long-term project culminated in 2011 and has borne fruit, as Domaine Grand Guilhem now offers nine different cuvées: white wines, rosé wines, red wines, naturally sweet wines, orange wines, some vinified entirely in barrels and others aged in amphorae… Gilles is undoubtedly a very curious person who isn't afraid to experiment.

“ The amphora allows for micro-oxygenation, meaning the wines breathe, in a completely neutral way, unlike what we get in barrels. It fixes the tannins and anthocyanins while giving a great deal of purity ,” explains Gilles. This container has many advantages, which the winemaker knows how to exploit to create surprising wines.

" I work by intuition ," he explains, " I have no established process. I chose this profession to feel completely free and to work as an artist ."

A freedom claimed and embraced, in the name of which Gilles does not hesitate to step outside the region's prestigious appellation: the Fitou AOP. This decision will give the cuvée its name, " Pas pareil " (Not the same). " My wines didn't conform to the appellation profiles. So I left it to regain the freedom to make the wines I love, that please me, and that are a complete respect for the terroir ," explains Gilles.

Our favorite wines from the estate:

Angels Fitou

The pointillist

Grenat Grand Guilhem

Organic farming and natural wines: the expression of the terroir

In addition to creative freedom, Gilles possesses a strong will and convictions that led him to convert the estate to organic farming as soon as he arrived. " I never imagined working any other way. From the start, I knew I didn't want to use any herbicides or chemical fertilizers ," says the winemaker, who recalls with amusement: " It was 1997, I was considered quite eccentric at the time. But it was obvious; I consider myself simply a tenant of the land I work. "

In 2011, Gilles joined the natural wine charter . " That means that my wine contains only grapes, " the winemaker mischievously points out. It's true: indigenous yeasts, minimal sulfites, no chemicals. " I believe there's no need for artifice to make a wine that truly represents the terroir. The goal of winemaking is to work with the grapes without intervening, to please everyone. My wines appeal to some and displease others; but they leave no one indifferent ," Gilles concludes.

Don't hesitate to explore the wines of the Grand Guilhem estate.

Manon Mouly (for Les Grappes)