At the foot of a 19th century dovecotee century, Séverin Blanc awaits us in the cellar of the Domaine des Vergnades to make us discover and appreciate his range of varied Gaillac appellation wines. Established since 2017 at the family estate and aged around twenty years, he represents the 6e generation of winegrowers to work the fruit of the vine on these Tarn lands.
Much more than a story of terroir
Great-grandson, grandson and son of a winegrower, we can say that Séverin has it in his blood! Frolicking between the rows of vines, catching grapes by the bunch, tasting a few in preview during the harvest season, smelling the odor of wines being vinified, have been part of his daily life since he was very young.
Séverin Blanc, winemaker
I never considered any other profession than that of winemaker, it has always been natural for me since I was little. My two parents already worked in the farm, today, all three of us work together.
When friendliness and know-how come together...
Like many of his colleagues, the winemaker has a taste for sharing and traditions, he likes to welcome wine enthusiasts, oenophiles or simply curious people, to introduce them to his daily life and his world to the rhythm of the seasons and sometimes melodies that twist the tastings.
Every summer, the estate is transformed into a place of festivities where aperitif-concerts are organized and bring together a large number of proven epicureans. If you have the Vigneron Pass, push open the doors of the estate and come meet us at any time of the year!
Except for one vintage…
The estate's vines have followed the evolution of generations, succeeding one another and giving birth to a variety of Gaillac grape varieties cultivated on these lands. However, when you look at them, you would almost think that they have always been there. “Here, we are in Graves, the soils are mainly on gravel. Our oldest vines are between 40 and 45 years old, the lifespan of the vine can go up to 60/70 years depending on what we do with it.”
Each territory has its own particularity, what makes it unique and differentiates it from any other terroir. “At the estate, we have a rather red terroir with 55 ha of vines and 44 ha of white. The Gaillac grape varieties with which we work are Braucol in red, Duras, typical of the appellation, Len-de-l'el in white, Prunelard and Mauzac.” When tasting in the estate's cellar, we discover from the observation all the smoothness, roundness and age of the wine resonating with the work of time in symbiosis with that of the winemaker.
A quid pro quo with Mother Nature
Working in the great outdoors, seeing it change throughout the seasons, requires great attention that Séverin has been able to understand and preserve as much as possible.
During the winter, we sow field beans and plant matter between the rows of vines to provide a little nitrogen and green waste, in order to create natural fertilizer. We are labeled High Environmental Value, which means that we adopt measures that are favorable to the environment and biodiversity.
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