Domaine de l'Aigle, at the crossroads of terroirs and climates
Nestled on the mountainside in the Pre-Pyrenees, the Aigle estate reveals itself in all its splendor at the end of a path, along the Causse stream. Bathed in the gentle sun of the Indian summer of Roquetaillade, whose castle appears on the heights, the 51 hectares of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Gewurztraminer welcome the 2021 harvest.
Welcoming the future, bunch by bunch… The grape harvests at Domaine de l'Aigle are carried out entirely by hand, as explained by Thibault Haentjens, manager of Domaine de l'Aigle for over 10 years. And on these lands in the Haute Vallée de l'Aude, talking about the harshness of the harvest is an understatement. Culminating at almost 500 metres above sea level, the plots were planted along the slopes of the Roquetaillade cirque and these are therefore steep rows that the thirty harvesters of Domaine de l'Aigle survey every day.
Grape varieties of Burgundian tradition
At the foot of the Roquetaillade cliff, the cellar receives the first bunches of grapes from the Chardonnay plots. They will produce the next vintage of the Aigle Royal Chardonnay , a wine of intense freshness that will be pressed, settled, fermented in vats and aged in oak barrels.
Higher up, the plots of Aigle Royal Pinot Noir are also reaching maturity. The estate welcomed the first Pinot Noir vines planted in the Haute Vallée by pioneering winegrowers in 1981.
This grape variety, generally representative of Burgundy, today forms a unique diversity of plots. For Thibault, this singularity makes the blend exceptional: "Here, instead of blending grape varieties, we blend plots. Our pinots at the end of aging are very different from each other. A bit like tasting distinct grape varieties. Our diversity is phenomenal for a single-varietal vineyard."
A unique microclimate rich in biodiversity
Oceanic, Mediterranean and mountainous, the Domaine de l'Aigle is located at the crossroads of three climates. This privileged position translates into lush vegetation on the northwest slope counterbalanced by drier Mediterranean scrubland to the south. The clay-limestone soil is more resistant to water stress and produces wines that are both fine and complex.
Domaine de l'Aigle welcomes life in all its dimensions. Fauna, flora and soil. And biodynamics allows this unique vitality to be expressed in wine. Domaine de l'Aigle Pinot Noir received the Gold Medal at the 2019 and 2020 Prix Plaisir from the Bettane & Desseauve guide.
To follow the harvests domain by domain:
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