Château Comte de Vaugelas
The history
Owner of the estates for 14 generations, the Vaugelas family has been associated with the vineyards of Cruzy since 1723 and today still owns Château Comte de Vaugelas. It has consistently managed the vineyard with traditional growing techniques, some of which are still enshrouded in secrecy. Its ownership of the estate precedes its ennoblement by the King of France in 1761.
Located in Cruzy, at the heart of the Cathar country, the Château Comte de Vaugelas estates survived the 13th century's Albigensian crusade and Cathar genocide, the 14th century's Black Death pandemic, the 16th century's French wars of religion, the 18th century's French revolution, the 19th century Great French Wine Phylloxera Blight, and the 20th century's two World Wars to this day.
“A wine to celebrate life, resilience, and perseverance”
As an aristocratic family, the Vaugelas coat of arms is described as "Azure, a chevron Or, surmounted by a sun of the same color and accompanied in chief by two grapes Argent and at the base by a tower of the same color, crowned Or." We herein recognize the two silver grapes accompanying it, symbolizing the family's legacy and excellence in wine growing. Over the years, the Vaugelas family has remained steadfastly focused on prospering generations and empowering countless people in their pursuit and attainment of their aspirations.
Château Comte de Vaugelas wine is a celebration of traditional values, a testament to the tenacity of fine wine produced by an honorable family, and a study in perseverance in the face of adversity. It is an offering of these qualities to your palate when you drink it, as well as a present celebrating a good and long life to those you offer it. To the lucky connoisseurs, it brings guidance from mentors and benefactors, longevity and bliss, which inevitably results in houses filled with treasures.
The vineyard
The terroir is located on the Southern slopes of the Massif Central, between Mountains (Yin) and Sea (Yang). Bordered to the north by the Espinouse mountains and its main range "le Caroux" with a round top located within the natural park of the Haut-Languedoc, to the east by the Faugerois, to the west by the Minervois, and to the south by the Mediterranean Sea. The estate is nestled amidst low-lying hills and occupies a discreet and auspicious site known by some as the "Dragon Meridian Point" of this region of France.
Bound by mountains and near water is known as the ideal Xue spot in Imperial Feng Shui, where the Yin and Yang are balanced and where Sheng Qi is assembled. Château Comte de Vaugelas is a wine that commands benefactors, authority and harmony, while receiving wealth. It embodies the principle of balance of Yin and Yang, which is key to achieving success in life.
“An outstanding terroir”
The property covers five hectares, made up of fine gravel mixed with clay-limestone. The grape varieties consist of Merlot (68%), which contributes to the wine’s fruity flavour and body, and its unmistakable suppleness, Syrah (19%) and Cinsault (13%). The average age of the vines is over 20 years for the Merlot and the Syrah, while it is over 30 years for the Cinsault.
Since its inception, the property has been managed by the Vaugelas family. The production is carried out according to traditional growing techniques based on strict control of yields, and numerous manual tasks throughout the year. Nowadays, the vineyard is managed by the Comte de Vaugelas himself with the help of an Oenologist and Winemaker, who studied under the renowned late Professor Pascal Ribéreau-Gayon.
The cellar
The grapes are harvested early autumn in September, and are then pressed in two-hundred-year-old presses. The end of the harvest gives rise to the Celebration of Abundance in the vineyard regions of France, where friends, family and even acquaintances gather to partake in communal feasts and other activities. The rich cultural festivities and abundance of this period have transformed it into a time of thanksgiving and conviviality.
The yields are sorted and each parcel is identified and isolated in a batch of vats. The wine is fermented in vats and bottles in order to avoid too much tannins that oak barrels would impose. Upon completion of alcoholic fermentation, several tastings from each vat are then performed for the next 7 to 8 months, to ensure a strict selection for the Château Comte de Vaugelas millésime (vintage).
“Traditional winemaking and meticulous selection”
The cellar is located in the heart of Château Comte de Vaugelas estate in Cruzy. The length of ageing in vats lasts 12 months, during which the wines are periodically racked. The wine is then bottled by the Vaugelas family under very strict hygiene conditions at the Château. The aging is then continued in bottles for 2 to 3 years in the cellar's optimum storage conditions of temperature and humidity.
The average annual production of Château Comte de Vaugelas is about 9,000 cases of Merlot. The estate also produces small quantities of Syrah (about 2,000 cases) and Cinsault (about 1,000 cases).