The domaine is the work of Marie Toussaint and Vivien Roussignol, two agricultural engineers and oenologists. After traveling and making wine in the four corners of the world, they chose to return to their roots in 2011 to revive Vivien's grandfather's family vines.
The name of the domaine is a direct homage to the local heritage: the “païssels” designate, in Languedoc dialect, the small traditional stakes (often made of chestnut wood) used to support young vine stocks cut into goblet shapes.
A Terroir of Altitude and Schists
The vineyard is located at Babeau-Bouldoux, a small village nestled about 5 kilometers from Saint-Chinian, on the southern foothills of the Montagne Noire.
- The Ground: The terroir is mainly composed of shales, a rock which gives the wines a remarkable freshness and minerality, counterbalancing the generosity of the climat Mediterranean.
- The Vines: The domaine watches over a precious heritage of vieilles vignes, some of which are centenarians. The region's king grape varieties flourish there: Carignan, Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre for the reds, as well as rare grape varieties like Gibi for the whites.
Philosophy in the Vine and in the Cellar
Committed to an environmentally friendly approach (with organic farming practices), Marie and Vivien carry out expert work:
- The harvest is fully completed by hand.
- A plot approach is favored: each plot is vinified in isolation to allow the singularity of each terroir and each grape variety to be expressed.
The Flagship Cuvées
The domaine offers distinctive wines, praised by guides (such as the Guide Hachette or the RVF) for their fleshy, silky and digestible side:
- The Banel: The entry-level AOP Saint-Chinian. A delicious, delicious and fruit-focused wine, offering an excellent price-pleasure ratio.
- The Païssels: La cuvée eponym (blend of Carignan, Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre). A more complex, sunny and distinguished bottle, mixing notes of black fruits, sweet spices and chocolate, supported by velvety tannins.
- The Jealous: A top-of-the-range vintage, deep and concentrated, resulting from rigorous selections.
- Don't touch the Gibi: A UFO in Vin de France white, made from a rare and historic grape variety (Gibi), for lovers of fresh and original curiosities.
The Domaine Les Païssels is a magnificent signature of Saint-Chinian, ideal for those looking for wines from the South that are both powerful, fine and endowed with superb mineral freshness.
