Château de Nages creates its first sparkling wine in the Costières de Nîmes

Château de Nages has belonged to the Gassier family for four generations. Each generation has added their personal touch, allowing the estate to evolve into one of the leading producers in the Costières de Nîmes appellation. Inventive and always looking to the future, Michel and Tina are releasing Château de Nages' first sparkling wine this year.

Château de Nages aims for quality within the Costières de Nîmes appellation.

Brice Chevalier has worked at Château de Nages for two years as the sales manager for France. “When I arrived, the estate was focused on exports. Michel and Tina wanted to bring the wines back to France, which is now our priority market,” he explains. This sales strategy is part of a broader plan implemented by Michel. When he took over the château from his father in 1992, he decided to change the strategy. “The goal was to reach the top tier of Costières de Nîmes and become a leader in the appellation,” says Brice Chevalier.

The estate then developed more quality-focused projects. The wine, previously sold in bulk, was now bottled on the property. The labels were redesigned to be more original and modern. "Michel quickly understood that making good wine required better soil and vine care, and the elimination of chemicals. Unofficially, he began practicing organic farming very early on. Then, in 2008, he finally applied for certification. For Michel, the organic farming label demonstrates his respect for the land and the environment, and his commitment to making better wines that express the terroir, without artifice and with complete transparency," explains Brice.

The Château de Nages is now offering sulfite-free wines.

Michel and Tina also decided to expand their wine range. "By deciding to return to the French market, they had to adapt their offering," Brice points out. The Liberty range was born from the desire to offer a wine with fruity aromas, moderate sulfite and alcohol levels, and organic farming practices. "Our natural wine in the range came about somewhat by chance," Brice recalls. "We had a vintage that performed very well, and we wanted to try making a sulfite-free version. This is only the first year we've produced this bottle, but it's a success, and I think we'll continue." Still driven by this energy and enthusiasm, Michel and Tina continue to learn, experiment, and innovate. This year, they are releasing the first sparkling wine from Château de Nages. "It was Michel's wish to have an organic sparkling wine made by independent winemakers," Brice smiles.

The terroir must be expressed in the wines of Château de Nages

For several days now, the winemakers have been harvesting the 2019 grapes and have begun fermentations for what promises to be a very exceptional vintage. “We have the same terroir as Châteauneuf-du-Pape , with rounded pebbles and a lot of red clay. Michel has done a great job bringing minerality to the wines, thanks to the limestone in our soils. At the same time, we are fortunate to benefit from a sea breeze that brings a touch of freshness to our very sun-drenched wines,” explains Brice Chevalier, who concludes: “Michel has a motto that I love and that has made the château what it is today: you don't inherit land, you borrow it from your children. And his children are lucky; they will be taking over a vineyard in excellent, healthy condition.”