Anecdotes about the domain
Stéphanie put her feet in the vineyard because of her family, her father who gave her the desire. She says "I don't think I am passionate, I am more down to earth. I don't have a Guru. But I think we are all obliged to consider our land and respect what it offers us. My guru is "Life" so I am drawn to all those who seek to improve protect and save our life on earth."
The domain's short story
Gontran Dondain bought this property in 2003, when he was already at the head of Château Cabezac. The 35 hectares of the estate are located on one of the most beautiful terroirs of the appellation, Cazelles. In 2011, Gontran bought the cellar necessary for the elaboration of the great wines of Cazelles: the Cave d'Agel, built in 1936 and located below the terroir. After a year of renovation, the cellar reopened its doors for the 2015 harvest, with all the equipment necessary for the parcel-based vinification. To pamper this almost raw nugget on a daily basis, what could be more logical than the hands of a woman, Stéphanie Dondain, Gontran's daughter, who already works at the family estate. It is therefore quite natural that the management of Mas Roc de Bô is entrusted to her from the 2015 harvest, when the winery opens. A management that she envisages as a family with the support of the teams of Château Cabezac. Since 2014, the Syndicat du Cru du Minervois has been applying to the INAO for recognition of the Cazelles Terroir as a Cru du Languedoc. The Cru Cazelles would then become the second Cru du Minervois with La Livinière.
The winemaker's pride
The Mas Roc de Bô was created in 2013 and was born from the ambition to offer a collection of unique wines, located in a setting entirely dedicated to the exceptional terroir that saw their birth. The regular wind, notably the Tramontane, reveals all the typicality of the terroir. This one offers us a breathtaking view of the Pyrenees. As nature is well done, the terroir of Cazelles is covered with white stones which allow to accumulate heat during the day and to give it back to the vine at night. The altitude results in a late ripening of the grapes, giving the whites more freshness and aromatic power, despite a very dry Mediterranean climate. The structure of the soil is lunar in appearance and differs from the surrounding terroirs. The soil is old and mostly made of limestone that has cracked over time. It is interspersed with thin layers of red clay and even humus that allow for good water regulation of the vines. The terroir of Cazelles is more easily described as "ant" than "cicada", as the vine takes root to find the water and trace elements necessary for its development.
Pictures of the domain
