Château des Peyraux

Château des Peyraux is a small organic estate of about 4 hectares in the Fronton appellation, in South-West France, near Villematier. The vineyards lie on the second and third terraces of the Tarn river, on poor sandy-clay soils with scattered pebbles, bordered by woods and wide hedges. Old varieties of almond and peach trees and flowering fallow strips for bees grow among the vines.

The place appears on the old Cassini map. In 1931 Maurice Linant de Bellefond bought the estate and planted about 40 hectares of vines. After his death the estate declined and was abandoned, until it was sold in 2016. Marie-Emmanuelle Couderc, who began organic viticulture in 2014, is now bringing the buildings and the vineyard back to life. New vines were planted in 2017 and 2019, and the first harvest at Les Peyraux took place in 2019. The estate also works older leased vines at Villaudric.

The focus is on native and historic grape varieties: Négrette, the emblematic grape of Fronton, brought here in the 12th century by the Knights of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, together with Prunelart and Duras. Great attention is given to the soil and to natural rhythms, and the vines are tended and harvested by hand. Visitors can meet a small winegrower who is reviving a forgotten château and taste natural wines where they are made.

The wines are made and aged at the château following the rules of natural wine, with little or no added sulphites. Several cuvées carry the Vin Méthode Nature label, and they are fruity and easy to drink.

The reds are mostly based on Négrette. The 100% Négrette cuvée is aged 12 to 14 months on fine lees and is full-bodied, with blackberry, blackcurrant and a liquorice finish. It won a gold medal at Fronton in 2022. Petite Soeur, also from Négrette, has no added sulphites and shows blackberry, liquorice and a hint of blueberry. Âmes Galantes blends Syrah and Négrette, with red and black fruit, supple tannins and notes of dark chocolate. Another red blends the historic Duras and Prunelart with Négrette and is creamy, full and elegant.

The range also includes rosé, white and sparkling wines. Rosé d'Hiver is a still Négrette rosé with notes of gingerbread, citrus and quince, and Blosé is an intense rosé from Syrah co-fermented with a little Gros Manseng. Le Blanc is made from Gros Manseng and Mauzac and aged for 12 months in barrel on fine lees. The Pet'Nat sparkling wines are bottled during fermentation and rest a long time on the lees: a white from Mauzac and Gros Manseng, and Voltige, a Négrette rosé with notes of white peach and bitter orange.