Mas Veranum

Anecdotes from the Estate: The Estate's History. In the heart of the typical hamlet of Veyran lies the beautiful vaulted cellar of Château de Veyran, a wine estate waiting to be discovered. You will be welcomed by Frédéric Pappelou, the estate manager who trained on-site and is specifically in charge of the vineyards, or, if present, Gérard Antoine, the current owner and winemaker who succeeded his father Henri in 1984. A former pharmacist, he took over the estate for sentimental reasons. He personally manages the winemaking and direct sales of his wines. His objective is to evolve from sustainable farming practices to winemaking, including replanting the vineyards. Currently, his 36-hectare vineyard comprises Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Carignan, old vines, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cinsault, planted in clay-limestone soils, for a yield of 40 hectoliters per hectare. 70% of the harvest is done manually, over 20 to 25 days, by local employees, families, and seasonal workers, on vines trained with five wires. The pneumatic press ensures regular and moderate pressing, resulting in very fine wines. Vinification takes place in 11 conical, four-bladed vats with punch-downs, using traditional fermentation methods (no maceration), traditional fermentation (14 or 20 days), maceration, or traditional methods with indigenous yeasts (natural yeasts) on the grapes as they are harvested and placed in the vats for fermentation, which will then be used to inoculate the vats. The wine remains in the vats for 5-6 days for a young wine and on average 40 days for wines intended for aging. Five stainless steel tanks with floating lids, holding 120 and 75 hectoliters and equipped with refrigeration systems to regulate temperatures, store the wine until final blending. Once the wine blend is finalized, it is bottled or placed in barrels made in Burgundy from French oak sourced from the Tronçais forest (Allier) and naturally dried for 24 months. The second warehouse is used for bottling, labeling, boxing, and final packaging. The wines are stored in climate-controlled facilities before being sent to various points of sale. These wines have been listed in the Hachette Wine Guide since 1998 and have won numerous medals, including a Silver Medal for the Saint Chinian l'Aire AOP in 2018 at the Lyon International Wine Competition. A few wines to taste include: the Tradition cuvée, l'Aire, and the Henri cuvée, aged between 12 and 18 months in new oak barrels, a tribute to his father. His latest creation, L'Alizé, a Vin de Pays des Coteaux de Murviel, is a specialty of old vines, an unfiltered wine made from hand-harvested grapes. Crafted with Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Carignan vines aged 30 to 60 years, and matured in new oak barrels. The pride of the estate. This estate is located in the Saint-Chinian appellation, 30 minutes northwest of Béziers, in the Languedoc region. This family estate, founded in the 18th century, is currently managed by the fourth generation of the family. The vineyard currently covers 48 hectares, of which just over 36 hectares are in production, with the remaining 12 hectares to be brought under cultivation within the next five years. A 60-hectare plot of uncultivated land lies in a neighboring commune at an altitude of approximately 600 meters, ideal for future white grape varieties. The grape varieties cultivated are: Cinsault, Carignan, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache Noir, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines produced are AOP St Chinian 45%, AOP Languedoc 27%, and Pays d'Oc 28%. Our normal production is between 25 and 45 hl/ha. We practice sustainable viticulture, without pesticides. Half of our harvest is done by hand, and the other half is harvested mechanically at night using our own equipment. Vinification takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, each with individual punch-downs. We use a pneumatic press. Fermentation lasts between 5 and 10 days, and maceration times vary depending on the harvest. We handle our own bottling with our own bottling line. We therefore have complete control over our estate. Currently, we produce the following wines: Pays d'Oc Rouge, Cabernet Sauvignon; AOP Languedoc Rosé Perle de Rose; AOP Languedoc Rouge Rigaille; and AOP St Chinian Rouge L'Aïre. Vin de France Supérieur, l'Alizé.