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Domaine La Terrasse d’Elise, Vin de Pays
Xavier Braujou
The new, small domaine of La Terrasse d’Elise was started in 1998 by the garrulous Xavier Braujou. Xavier is yet another young Languedoc winemaker who has had an illustrious career as a stagiare, or apprentice, having served time at Mas de Daumas Gassac, as well as in Alsace.
His vines and the wine are treated as naturally as possible, with minimum treatments in the vineyards, and with no finings, natural yeasts,and very little sulphur used in the winemaking process. Although 85% of Xavier’s land is within the Appellation, all his wines are labelled as Vin de Pays, to allow him more room to express the character of each varietal. He is one of the last vignerons to graft his own vines in the vineyard, allowing him to continue a selection massale, choosing the vine stocks from within his own domaine, with no clonal vines.
The domaine is named after his father’s aunt, Elise, and the top cuvée, from Syrah, is named in her honour. Unfortunately our first allocation of this wine is already sold out, but we have small quantities of Xavier’s other two cuvées. We will have small quantities of the 2001 Cuvée Elise next spring, after bottling.
The cuvée Mas de Blanc is from 100% Merlot, aged for 12 months in barrique, with small yields of around 25 hectolitres per hectare. This is a rich, minty ripe peppery wine which would shame many Bordeaux. The cuvée “Le Pradel” is from 100% Cinsault, aged 12 months in barrique, with low yields of around 25 hectolitres per hectare. Peppery slightly “confit” fruit nose and palate, prunes, figs, and “fruits rouges”, unusual and very individual in style.
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