Established on the IGP Vins de la Cité de Carcassonne, Arnaud Aribaud has just opened his first cellar on the family estate of La Bourdette. Its first cuvées augur well for a well-underway wine tourism development project.
From the cooperative to the first cellar
Before dedicating himself to taking over the 22 hectares of vines on the family estate, Arnaud Aribaud honed his skills in the Mâconnais, Roussillon, Bordeaux, and Chilean wine regions. The Aribaud family, originally from Minervois, settled near the city of Carcassonne four generations ago. Father, grandfather, and great-grandfather traditionally delivered their grapes to the Carsac cooperative, where the wines of the Cité de Carcassonne are vinified and aged. Arnaud Aribaud continues this tradition of supporting the cooperative, but he has recently opened his own winery, where the wines of Domaine La Bourdette can now be enjoyed.
A cellar on an exceptional site
The opening of the winery marks a project in full swing. The La Bourdette estate vineyard enjoys an exceptional heritage setting. Perched on a hillside overlooking gentle slopes, its horizon offers a view of the ramparts of the city of Carcassonne rising above the vines. Planning to build a future winery here is perfectly logical: the environment is ideal for wine tourism development. By labeling his first wines with the Domaine La Bourdette name and installing the sign for his first winery, Arnaud Arribaud is opening up a promising prospect for the growth of his vineyard. This is especially true as he is now considering obtaining the High Environmental Quality (HQE) certification, a precursor to a high-quality and sustainable viticultural approach for this listed heritage site.
The definition of the first cuvées
Crafted at the crossroads of Occitanie's two major wine regions, the wines of the City of Carcassonne are unique in their blend of grape varieties from the southwest and southeast. At Domaine La Bourdette, all three colors are represented, their labels distinguished by the family's first names. The red cuvée, Arnaud , is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Merlot. The white cuvée, Audrey, is made entirely from Chardonnay. The rosé, Alexis, is made from Syrah. These three wines reflect the distinctive characteristics of their terroir. Offering a counterpoint, a second rosé joins the range, showcasing youthful energy and spontaneity. Named So Pink , this light rosé is designed to be easy-drinking and offers a refreshing nod to the generation of Arnaud Aribaud. This opens up an expectation full of curiosity about the next vintages from Domaine La Bourdette , whose landscaped site, well-equipped cellar and the kindness of the winemaker are a fine guarantee of hospitality.
La Bourdette olive oil
The domain of La Bourdette also has its own olive groves. Ripened in environmentally friendly conditions, the olives are then pressed in the mill. An exceptional product, they give substance to a rich and fruity olive oil available in the cellar.
