Domaine Cauhapé

Established in 1976 in the heart of Jurançon, Domaine Cauhapé now spans 45 hectares of southeast-facing hillsides, situated between the Pyrenees and the Atlantic. A self-taught vintner, Henri Ramonteu meticulously developed the estate vintage after vintage, prioritizing a deep understanding of nature and the pursuit of optimal ripeness. The vineyard is situated on soils combining clay, silica, and pebbles, perfectly suited to the appellation's emblematic grape varieties. Gros Manseng is primarily dedicated to dry wines, renowned for their freshness and aromatic complexity, while Petit Manseng is harvested through successive passes (tries) for the production of exceptional sweet wines. For the past decade, the estate has been planting and reintroducing forgotten grape varieties such as Courbu, Camaralet, and Lauzet to expand its range of dry wines. Jurançon's history has been built on its sweet wines, and the new challenge is to leverage these high-potential grape varieties to create exceptional wines and bring the appellation's dry whites to the forefront. When asked about his fondest memories, two immediately come to mind: The 1988 Vinexpo Sweet Wine Olympics, where a mere 6-month-old Cauhapé wine placed 5th among 70 competitors from 11 countries! Also, the era when the renowned chef Alain Senderens, of Lucas Carton, one of Paris's greatest gastronomic restaurants, ordered 600 bottles of Jurançon de Cauhapé annually!