Labeled Vineyards & Discoveries since 2019, Chateau Laurou stands out as one of the major areas of Fronton labeled organic. Another distinction and not the least: Guy Salmona who has been at the head of the estate since 1997 has been ranked "best winegrower in the Frontonborn 2018”.
Destiny
With guy salmona begins the story of the profession of winegrower. Because the vine had not yet entered his life at forty. At that age he was still working as an executive in a large computer engineering company. It was when the forty-two years struck that the call of the vineyard was definitively imposed. The vocation was so obvious that guy salmona without hesitation embarked on the revolution of his life. This began in Burgundy with intensive training in Viticulture and Oenology. Engaged on this course, he acquired the fundamental knowledge of the vine and wine trades. The conquest of the title of winegrower is then very fast. After having prospected in the vineyards of the southwest near the appellations of Cahors, Bergerac or Gaillac, it is at Fronton that fate fixes with the acquisition of the Chateau Laurou.
The Renaissance
As luck would have it, Château Laurou was a sleeping beauty. The situation was ideal for awakening the estate, a process that would take on the dimensions of a renaissance. Driven by enthusiasm and a taste for entrepreneurial adventure, Guy Salmona began in 1997 the investments that have built the estate's reputation today. This renown is based on the exacting standards and patience inherent in the vineyard's growth cycles, which demand harmony with the terroir and the vagaries of the weather. Deeply committed to the appellation, of which he was once president, and receptive to the experience of local winemakers, he quickly embarked on a project of exceptional quality. Organic viticulture certification is one of the priorities of the winemaker who obtained the classification in 2013. Because Château Laurou was built from the outset on the affirmation of a personality which sums up its project as a motto: " we make the wines we love ".
Organic wines
The wines of Chateau Laurou affirm themselves as " real wines from Fronton ". They express its singular character: marked complexity, spicy and floral bouquet, flavors with accents of black fruits opening on a liquorice finish. On this score of character which establishes the structural bias of each cuvée, the Négrette shows here that it knows how to play with all harmonies. With Chateau Laurou Tradition, the entry into the range is inaugurated by the trio Négrette, Syrah and Carbernet Franc, tuned to the right harmony. Then, playing on the subtle duo blend, the cuvée The Accomplices creates a dialogue between Négrette and Syrah in an expression full of resonance. Then comes this Fronton of the purest character with Insider Trading where the Négrette deploys solo. Because guy salmona is based on this line of conduct where the master grape of the appellation must give itself with the optimal intensity of its varietal aromas. The setting requirement therefore excludes any breeding in contact with wood. This sincerity of wine of Fronton is found in the cuvée Rosé, second color of the appellation after red, where the Négrette also knows how to capture its best amplitudes. All this organic, offering a concert of fleshy and round wines, very pleasant to drink.
The Laurou estate, its rosé and red wines by Guy Salmona