Massamier La Mignarde
| Vigneron | Frantz Vènes |
| Location | Pépieux (Aude) |
| Size of Domaine | 70 ha |
| Terroir | Mediterranean climate. Clay-limestone soils. 70-370m altitude. |
| Viticulture | Lutte raisonnée |
| View Massamier La Mignarde wines ↓ |
The Vènes family has lived and worked at Château Massamier La Mignarde for multiple generations and their history can be traced back to Roman times. Frantz succeeded his parents in 1998 and is involved in the preservation of the Languedoc heritage, working on a project to rehabilitate forgotten grape varieties.
Château Massamier La Mignarde is a large estate of 70ha located at the foot of the Montagne Noire, near the ancient town of Minerve. It extends from an altitude of 70 metres to 370 metres, resulting in a wide diurnal range and beautiful freshness in the wines. The château has a variety of plots with different expositions and terroirs on old alluvial terraces and clay-limestone based hillsides with chalk and sandstone. These soils are ploughed, and no herbicides or fungicides are used.
Although renowned for its Minervois La Livinière AC, Frantz applies the same fastidious viticulture and vinification for all his wines, traditional fermentation is carried out rather than the trendy macération carbonique, followed by lengthy ageing to soften tannins and develop complex flavours.
Massamier La Mignarde Wines
Massamier La Mignarde
This wine is traditionally vinified (most cheap reds are made by macération carbonique) by a very good Minervois-La-Livinière producer working organically and ploughing his vineyards by horse. An unforced wine with good fruit and character.