If in the vineyard Fronton the reputation of wines from Chateau Plaisance is no longer to be done, the virtuous stance adopted by Marc Penavayre for the cultivation of its vines deserves our attention.
A genetic heritage
Chateau Plaisance is located in the heart of Vacquiers, a small village near Toulouse which is also the highest point of the vineyard Fronton. The estate has been operated for several generations, first in mixed farming and then in exclusive viticulture from 1971. A name is inseparable from it: that of Penavayre, with Louis first, then Marc today and Thibaut tomorrow. Certified organic since 2008, the operation has also been inspired by the principles of biodynamics. The vinifications are concentrated on the production of natural wines well anchored in the full expression of the terroir and its specific grape variety: the Négrette. The estate is in itself a conservatory: the “La Bosse” plot today brings together 42 different varieties. This heritage makes it an exceptional genetic reserve where all the wine interest of thedesignation Fronton.
Natural wines
Wine begins with the vine. What Marc Penavayre prioritizes above all else is his terroir. Vacquiers, a former medieval fort, sits atop a natural hill overlooking the Tarn and Garonne valleys. The 26 hectares of vines at Château Plaisance are spread across the slopes of this natural ridge . The soils from which they draw their lifeblood are composed of rounded pebbles, boulbènes (a type of clay), and rougets (a type of sandstone) deposited by the prehistoric Tarn River in time immemorial. This is ancestral land that demands care and respect for its geological richness. Keeping it alive and fully restoring its biodiversity is Marc Penavayre 's tireless task . From this unique soil, preserved in the highest expression of its resources, the winemaker crafts natural wines that are undoubtedly the most exciting in the appellation. For the preservation of indigenous grape varieties often reinforces the quest for authentic wines.
Rare cuvées
À Chateau Plaisance the Négrette leads the way and dresses in the most expressive names of the land. In L'alabets it is delivered in all kinds, while with Tot Cò Que Cal Everything that's necessary - it is accompanied by a ripening of two winters in lightning. With Thibaut the vintage of Pitchou - it is structured on the one hand with Syrah and an aging of two winters in barrels. But as the reputation of the wines of Château Plaisance is well established, it is on the rare vintages of the domain that it is good to concentrate. We find a Negret Pounjut, endemic and almost forgotten grape variety of Fronton, giving a light and very fruity wine. There is a wine with typical bitterness and length, the Makes Its Juice, taken from old black Jurançon goblets. Among the sweet, outside the appellation, a 100% Sémillon rubs shoulders with a bewitching 100% Hamburg Muscat, whose rosé radiance announces the aromatic breadth. And to conclude the table on the fruit and the sweet vivacity, comes the serapies, a 100% Négrette mutated on grain. If the offer seems as voluble as it is dazzling, it can be summed up in a single truth: that of meeting the wine, the real wine from the terroir of Fronton.