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About our Estate
Between the Quercy
& Périgord regions,
on the same scenic route as the reputed Château de Bonaguil, but also just a stone’s throw away from the renowned Château Lamartine, the 15 hectares of Domaine de Cause stand out in their own right. Deservedly so! Its Lalande Cavagnac cuvee was ranked second-best wine in the world by the prestigious American magazine Wine Enthusiast in December 2012. Since then, the estate has regularly achieved scores above 90 out of 100 internationally and is listed among the top wines in major French guides.
Martine et Serge
for 15 years, had lived away from Quercy, the land of their birth. When Martine’s parents retired, they decided to take over the estate located in the commune of Soturac, in the magnificent hamlet of Cavagnac... A little piece of heaven where golden-stone houses have for centuries watched over the path taken by pilgrims travelling to Santiago de Compostela from Rocamadour. They left their city life in Auvergne behind and trained in winemaking to become the family’s 4th generation of vintners. That was back in 1994.
Since their return,
Martine and Serge have constantly embellished and adapted the Estate. Over the years, they focused on learning to know and protect their natural environment, consisting of vines, meadows and woodland. As they are aware of the exceptional biodiversity of their terroir, they have committed themselves to an agroecology approach. The Estate already has the High Environmental Value (HVE) label and will complete its transition to Organic Farming by the beginning of 2022.
Today,
Domaine de Cause produces AOC Cahors 100% Malbec cuvees with dramatically different personalities, but also Côtes du Lot PGI red, white and rosé wines. What they all have in common is that they are crafted on “siderolithic” soils on the iron-rich limestone plateaux terroirs (causses), located at altitudes above 200 metres, to the west of the Cahors vineyards. This type of soil gives the wines remarkable style: deep colour and a nose of intense aromas, along with length and velvety smoothness on the palate linked to powerful yet refined tannins, balanced by very appealing crispness.
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About our Terroir
The top of the Domaine de Cause hill
overlooks the valleys of the Lot and Thèze rivers. To the west, it encompasses far-reaching views, like at Notre-Dame-des-Champs, a monumental 4 metre statue owned by Martine and Serge, that can be seen by hikers along the GR36 path, but also by their clients on one of the wine labels. This land has been occupied by humans for a very long time, as shown by the widespread occurrence of carved flintstone in the vine rows.
A former iron mine,
closed at the end of the 19th century, borders the Estate. Iron oxide-rich deposits, known as “siderolithic”, accumulated here 35-50 million years ago, at a time when the region had a tropical climate. Altering over time, these sediments gave rise to reddish-brown soils with varying levels of stone or clay. Beyond that specificity, which is very rare in the Cahors vineyard (6% of the terroirs), the Estate boasts a great diversity of soils and subsoils with gravel and limestone pebble deposits on the slopes which are sometimes several metres thick, known as grèzes.
With a focus on full expression of the Terroir,
Serge devotes painstaking attention to his vineyard season after season to craft his range of wines. Cuvees are made depending on the quality potential of each plot (23 plots in total); grass and plant cover to stimulate microbial life in the soil; focus on manual work in the vineyard (weeding, suckering and crop thinning). “We have never seen so many swallows and ladybirds on the property”, smiles Martine. “We really put our hearts into it. As a winemaker, Serge seems to have no limits and he is definitely a perfectionist!”
« The wines are planted all around the estate, on rounded hills, sometimes steep slopes and above all, plots facing different directions. This great diversity of locations, soils and subsoils allows us to craft a wide range of wines, bearing in mind that in addition to the presence of iron oxide, we also have quartz, non-calcareous sand and grèzes”, explains Françoise Vannier, terroir expert with Adama in Dijon, Burgundy ».
Françoise Vannier
terroir expert
with Adama
in Dijon, Burgundy
About our Wines
Cuvée
d'exceptioN
Notre Dame des Champs
Red, 100% Malbec - AOP Cahors
Cuvée
authentiquE
La Lande Cavagnac
Red, 100% Malbec - AOP Cahors
White, 100% VIOGNER - IGP COTES DU LOT
Cuvée
gourmande
Cosy
Red, 100% Malbec - AOP Cahors
Dry Rosé, 100% Malbec - IGP Cotes du Lot
Rosé Moelleux (Mellow Rosé), 100% Malbec - IGP Cotes du Lot
White, 100% Viogner - IGP Cotes du Lot
Cuvée Notre-Dame
des Champs
Red, 100% Malbec
AOP Cahors
This exceptional Cahors wine refers to the beautiful statue of the same name, owned by the COSTES family. It rises up among the old vines, at the top of the village of Cavagnac. This flagship wine for the Estate is complex, opulent and elegant. The great concentration of the Malbec wine, bottled 3 years after the harvest, makes it ideal to enjoy now, but also gives it cellaring potential for the next 10 years. Only 3,500 bottles of this nectar are produced every year.
2014
« Superb colour with intense hues. The powerful nose evokes toasted touches of vanilla, very ripe black fruit and liquorice. On the palate, the wine is initially smooth and velvety, then opening up with powerful yet refined tannins and harmonious oaky touches. It will pair ideally with whole roast squab, toasted black sesame seed, dove juice, roasted salsify. (Should be decanted) ».
2015
« Bright, very intense colour. The nose is already open with marked spicy aromas (pepper), violet, olive tapenade, leading into arabica flavours. Excellent balance between crispness and remarkable length on the palate. A great Cahors wine. It will pair just perfectly with preserved shoulder of lamb with black olive stuffing, reduced lamb juice, polenta ».
Florian Balzeau
winner of the Gault & Millau Sommelier of the Year award in 2018
Cuvée La Lande Cavagnac
Red, 100% Malbec
AOP Cahors
This 100% Malbec wine is crafted from a selection of old vines planted as from the 1960s on the limestone plateau named “La Lande”, a unique terroir where the omnipresent iron ore combines with clays and silica. A refined oaky touch enhances the Malbec variety by bringing delicate touches of vanilla, without masking the aromatic crispness of small black fruit, liquorice and spices.
Ranked 2nd Best Wine in the World in the Wine Enthusiast Top 100 list
« Garnet hue with glints of violet, an appealing nose of ideally ripe red berries, supple on the palate with well-balanced tannins and a smooth texture. A modern Malbec; the perfect partner to pair with an entire lunch or dinner ».
Florian Balzeau
winner of the Gault & Millau Sommelier of the Year award in 2018
White, 100% Viogner
IGP COTES DU LOT
On a sloped plot facing the property, the COSTES family has dedicated space to this white wine, lovingly tending to the plot almost like a garden. The 5,000 vine plants are pampered with excess leaf removal, selection in the vineyard and hand-picking of grapes. Planted at two different times, the oldest part of the vineyard, dating back to 2004, is dedicated to the La Lande Cavagnac cuvee and the more recent part to COSY de CAUSE.
This Viognier, crafted from a south-west facing clayey-siliceous hill, was vinified and aged in oak barrels to enhance the aromatic strength and flavour of this rare and noble variety. You will be charmed by its expressive and floral nose and its beautiful texture on the palate.
« Discreet golden yellow colour, pure and bright rim, very pleasant luminous intensity, a powerful and appealing nose of soft white fruit. Touches of ideally ripe peach, brioche, fresh butter and lime tree. Precision on the palate, supported by fine acidity. A wine for immediate pleasure, the ideal companion for before-dinner drinks, roast fowl, braised calf sweetbread ».
Florian Balzeau
winner of the Gault & Millau Sommelier of the Year award in 2018
Cuvée Cosy
Red, 100% Malbec
AOP Cahors
This very approachable cuvee derives its character from a clayey terroir planted in the 1990s. Thanks to its black fruit aromas, coated in elegant tannins, this pure Malbec should delight lovers of “thirst for terroir” wines.
« Garnet colour with pale purple hues, appealing nose of black fruit, peony, present tannins. Trendy wine style without for all that denying its typical features and terroir. Undoubtedly a wine for gastronomy, that will pair ideally with prime beef rib matured for 60 days, strong beef juice, glazed vegetables in soy sauce ».
Florian Balzeau
winner of the Gault & Millau Sommelier of the Year award in 2018
Dry Rosé, 100% Malbec
IGP Cotes du Lot
This rosé de saignée, crafted from juice bled from the vats intended for the 100% Malbec red wines, combines citrus fruit and small red fruit flavours on the palate. It will delight those who love food and wine pairings based on white meat and fish.
« pale pink colour with a fine and bright rim, a delicate nose of fresh fruit, delightful floral fragrances, touches of raspberry, a harmonious wine with dry character. A successful rosé for a fine Lot wine ».
Florian Balzeau
winner of the Gault & Millau Sommelier of the Year award in 2018
Rosé Moelleux (Mellow Rosé), 100% Malbec
IGP Cotes du Lot
Another rosé de saignée that will surprise you by its fruitiness, crispness and fine balance. Perfect for appetizers and chocolate-based desserts.
White, 100% Viogner
IGP Cotes du Lot
On a sloped plot facing the property, the COSTES family has dedicated space to this white wine, lovingly tending to the plot almost like a garden. The 5,000 vine plants are pampered with excess leaf removal, selection in the vineyard and hand-picking of grapes. Planted at two different times, the oldest part of the vineyard, dating back to 2004, is dedicated to the La Lande Cavagnac cuvee and the more recent part to COSY de CAUSE.
Planted in 2013, this part of the vineyard is dedicated to producing our viognier wine. Aged in barrels, the wine has a fruity intensity evocative of peach, apricot and lime tree scents. These flavours are also present on the palate, with suave fullness and great crispness brought by the terroir of Domaine de Cause.
They’re talking about us
DOMAINE DE CAUSE
LALANDE CAVAGNAC 2009
« A bold statement of dark Malbec, it’s very rich and very concentrated. The wine has considerable tannins to go with the weight of its fruit. With excellent potential, this wine, made from oldvine grapes, should age for at least seven years ».
DOMAINE DE CAUSE
NOTRE DAME DES CHAMPS 2015
« Named after the statue of the Virgin Mary that dominates this part of the vineyard, this wine is powerful, perfumed with new wood and packed with structured black-plum and berry fruits. The wine is rich with both fruit and potential. Drink from 2021 ».
DOMAINE DE CAUSE
Lalande Cavagnac 2013
« This wood-aged, perfumed wine is serious, complex and will take its time to develop. It is full of dark tannins and ripe black fruits, laced with acidity. It comes from old vines, planted in the 1970s, which give great concentration and depth to the wine. It will be ready to drink from 2019 ».
DOMAINE DE CAUSE
Lalande Cavagnac 2016
« From vines planted in the 1970s, this wine is the top cuvée of this estate. Rich tannins, generous fruit and good acidity combine to give a powerful, wood-aged wine. It is still young, with a burst of great fruit that needs to soften. Drink this impressive wine from 2022 ».
DOMAINE DE CAUSE
Lalande Cavagnac 2015
« From vines planted in the 1970s, this wine is the top cuvée of this estate. Rich tannins, generous fruit and good acidity combine to give a powerful, wood-aged wine. It is still young, with a burst of great fruit that needs to soften. Drink this impressive wine from 2022 ».
DOMAINE DE CAUSE
2016
« This dense wine is about fruit and tannins rather than any obvious wood aging. Bold blackberry flavors are full, structured with tannins and with the potential to mature into a rich wine. Drink from 2020 ».
DOMAINE DE CAUSE
2015
« This rich blackberry and black-plum flavored wine has tannins although the ripe fruit sings. It is structured, but this never detracts from the great fruitiness of the wine. Drink from 2019 ».
DOMAINE DE CAUSE
2014
« Delicious jammy red fruits are the hallmark of this ripe wine. It is still young although it has great fruitiness and a juicy black-currant character. The wine is open, generous and likely to be ready to drink from 2018 »
NOTATIONS Macon
Concours des Grands Vins de France
21 MEDALS IN 25 YEARS
NOTATIONS du GUIDE HACHETTE
13 SELECTED WINES & "COUP DE COEUR
Let’s talk to each other
Martine & Serge COSTES
would be delighted to read your messages or to welcome you to the estate for a visit.
46700 Soturac - France
Telephone : 05 65 36 41 96
