Terroir of our Madiran and Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh Wines
Located in the charming Pyrenean Piedmont, our vineyards’ terroir stretches majestically between sea and mountains. Nestled just 60 kilometers from the Pyrenees and about a hundred kilometers from the Atlantic coast, it enjoys an exceptional location, embracing two wine regions: Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitania. Our vines flourish across three distinct departments: Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Gers, and Hautes-Pyrénées, covering an impressive 1,300 hectares dedicated to Madiran and 260 hectares for Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh.
This territory is strategically situated on a bend of the left bank of the Adour, benefiting not only from a particularly favorable climate but also from rich, diverse soils that allow each grape variety to reveal its unique character and aromatic richness. This combination of natural factors facilitates the production of wines of exceptional quality, faithfully representing the spirit and tradition of our domain.
28 communes
3 communes
6 communes
Geography and Repartition
Located in the charming Pyrenean Piedmont, our vineyards’ terroir stretches majestically between sea and mountains. Nestled just 60 kilometers from the Pyrenees and about 100 kilometers from the Atlantic coast, it benefits from an exceptional location, straddling two wine regions: Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitania. Our vines thrive across three distinct departments: Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Gers, and Hautes-Pyrénées, covering an impressive 1,300 hectares for Madiran and 260 hectares for Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh.
This territory is strategically positioned on a bend of the left bank of the Adour, enjoying not only a particularly favorable climate but also rich, diverse soils that allow each grape variety to reveal its unique character and aromatic richness. This blend of natural factors fosters the production of wines of exceptional quality, faithfully capturing the spirit and tradition of our estate.
3 Principal Terroirs
The Madiran and Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh appellations span across five parallel hills, oriented from north/northwest to south/southeast. We cultivate parcels from three principal terroirs.
Gravelly Clays
They are particularly prevalent on the higher slopes and are well-known for their ability to retain heat, which is crucial for grape ripening.
Clay-Limestone
Clay-limestone terroirs dominate the western hillsides, providing a steep incline that ensures good water drainage and optimal sunlight exposure, both essential for vine development.
The Maucor aquifer
The Maucor aquifer is located at the highest altitudes and is characterized by a layer of weathered pebbles, which provide excellent drainage and intense sunlight exposure.
Climatology
Our region’s climate is largely influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, with a moderate continental tendency in the northwest. This climate provides mild winters and hot summers, along with well-distributed rainfall that supports balanced vine growth.
The region benefits from ample sunlight, especially during the vine’s growing season, which is crucial for grape ripening. Sunshine averages between 2,000 and 2,200 hours annually. Summers are generally hot and sunny, which is ideal for grape varieties such as Tannat, the dominant variety in the Madiran AOC.
Madiran generally benefits from an oceanic climate influenced by its proximity to the Atlantic. This results in moderate to high rainfall, particularly in autumn and winter. Annual rainfall can vary but typically ranges between 800 and 1,000 mm.
The average temperature in the Madiran region is influenced by its oceanic climate. Summers are relatively hot, with average temperatures ranging from 20 to 25°C in July and August. Winters are mild, with average temperatures of 6 to 8°C in January and February. These temperate conditions allow for the balanced ripening of grapes.
Varietal composition and Cultural Practices
AOC MADIRAN
The Tannat Variety : Heart of our Identity
Tannat is a late-ripening and productive grape variety. It thrives in gravelly and sandy soils. Let’s not forget the exceptional richness of Tannat in polyphenols, which are naturally antioxidants and make Tannat the finest ambassador of the now-famous “French paradox.” The antioxidant properties of Tannat are believed to play a key role in protecting against cardiovascular diseases.
In his book The Wine Diet, published in 2009, British professor Dr. Roger Corder shares the results of a scientific study showing that the average lifespan of men over the age of 75 in the southwest of France (Gers) is the highest in the country. Their diet consists of fresh produce and… a glass of Madiran!
Blended or not blended? Here’s what the Appellation Madiran decree says:
The Madiran Appellation decree designates Tannat as the principal variety, with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon as secondary varieties. The decree specifies that Tannat must account for 40% to 80% of the vine population in the operation.
During the blending of vintages, Tannat must represent at least 50% of the volume. There is no maximum, so 100% Tannat vintages are permitted.
cultivation practices
Characteristics of the vineyard
The topographic diversity of our appellations offers a wide range of exposures and exceptional terroirs, the cradle of our great Madiran and Pacherenc wines.
The selected parcels for the development of the Marie Maria range are planted at densities exceeding 4,000 vines/ha, with 1 meter between vines and up to 2.5 meters between rows. These planting densities allow us to optimize the grape load per vine, ensuring that the grapes benefit from optimal ripening conditions and reveal the best of what our terroirs have to offer.
Tasks of the Vineyard
There is no great wine without a great winemaker. The year is marked by a succession of tasks in the vineyard throughout the vine’s life cycle.
- Pruning: The pruning method used is a short cut called Guyot. Whether single or double, depending on the grape varieties, it ensures good distribution of the crop and foliar surface.
- Disbudding: This process selects the shoots that will bear the grapes, optimizing their development.
- Green harvest: Carried out from the stage when grapes are visible until the ripening stage, it involves selecting the bunches that will remain on the shoots and removing excess ones.
- Training: This encourages the vine to grow vertically with the help of lifting wires throughout its development.
- Leaf thinning: More or less severe depending on the desired outcome, it is always focused in the fruiting zone, allowing the grapes to breathe and improving ripening.
Harvest
After over 300 hours of manual work per hectare, it is essential to complete these efforts by employing all necessary means to determine the optimal harvest date.
As harvest approaches, maturity checks are conducted on all parcels at intervals of a few days to monitor the evolution of the grapes. At the same time, tastings or organoleptic checks are performed in the field to assess phenolic maturity for red wines (tannin maturity), ensuring the grapes are harvested at their peak ripeness.
The grapes for our Marie Maria vintages in Madiran are harvested exclusively by hand to preserve the integrity of the berries until they arrive at the winery.
Formerly, the regional wine population was composed of Manseng Noir, Pinenc, local name of Fer Servadou and Bouchy, local name of Cabernet Franc. In the 1860s, Dr Guyot signaled Tannat as a newly introduced variety.
Did you know?
The name “Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh” comes from the old Béarnese dialect: “pachets” referred to stakes, essentially used to support vines, and “renc” meant aligned. “Vic-Bilh” referred to the old country.
AOC PACHERENC DU VIC-BILH
Renowned for its smooth white wines, the Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh AOC also offers dry white wines.
These varieties can be vinified alone or blended, offering a range of white wines that vary from dry to soft, each expressing the unique characteristics of the Vic-Bilh terroir. Wines made from Petit Manseng, in particular, are renowned for their aging potential, as they develop complex aromas over time.
Story time…
The oldest recorded document concerning Pacherenc dates back to 1745. It is an edict forbidding the harvest of grapes before November 4th.
Cultural Practices
Characteristics of the vineyard
The topographic diversity of our appellations offers a wide range of exposures and exceptional terroirs, the cradles of our great Madiran and Pacherenc wines.
The selected parcels for the development of the Marie Maria franchise are planted at densities exceeding 4,000 vines/ha, with 1 meter between vines and 2.5 meters between rows. These planting densities allow us to optimize the number of grapes per vine, ensuring that the grapes benefit from ideal ripening conditions and reveal the best of what our terroirs have to offer.
Tasks of the vineyard
There is no great wine without a great winemaker. The year is paced by a succession of tasks in the vineyard all throughout the vine’s life cycle.
- The trimming : The trim method used is a short trim called Guyot. Whether single or double depending on the varieties, it allows for good distribution of harvest and foliar surface.
- The disbudding : It allows to select branches that will carry grapes in order to optimize development.
- The green harvest : Completed from the visible grapes stage to the ripening stage, and consists in selecting the grapes that will remain on the branches and removing those that are in excess.
- The training : Encourages the vine to grow on a vertical axis with the help of elevating wires throughout development.
- The pruning : More or less severe depending on the desired product, always located in the fruiting area, and allows to air out the grapes and improves ripening.
Harvest
After more than 300 hours of manual work per hectare, it is essential to crown all these efforts by employing all necessary means to determine the optimal harvest date.
As harvest approaches, maturity checks are carried out on all parcels at intervals of a few days to monitor the evolution of the grapes. Simultaneously, tastings or organoleptic tests are conducted in the field to assess phenolic maturity for red wines (tannin maturity), ensuring the grapes are harvested at the optimal point of ripeness.
The grapes used for our Marie Maria sweet Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh AOC wines are harvested exclusively by hand, to maintain the integrity of the berries until they arrive at the winery.
Dry Pacherencs, which are more sensitive to oxidation, are harvested mechanically for quality reasons (speed of processing, night harvesting to bring in cool grapes, minimizing waiting times and thus oxidation).
*In the Pyrénées-Atlantiques county (64), the Madiran Appellation includes twenty-eight communes : Arricau-Bordes, Arrosès, Aubous, Aurions-Idernes, Aydie, Bétracq, Burosse-Mendousse, Cadillon, Castetpugon, Castillon, Conchez-de-Béarn, Corbère-Abères, Crouseilles, Diusse, Escurès, Gayon, Lasserre, Lembeye, Mascaraàs-Haron, Mont-Disse, Moncla, Monpezat, Moncaup, Portet, Saint-Jean-Poudge, Séméacq-Blachon, Tadousse-Ussau and Vialer.
**In the Gers county (32), the decree mentions three communes : Cannet, Maumusson-Laguian and Viella.
***The Hautes-Pyrénées department (65) includes six communes : Castelnau-Rivière-Basse, Hagedet, Lascazères, Madiran, Saint-Lanne and Soublecause.