Domaine Rose & Paul , located in the Malepère AOP , is a family wine estate rich in know-how passed down and enriched over six generations of winemakers.
A family from La Malepère
Domaine Rose & Paul is located in the Malepère terroir in Arzens. In this small village, nestled in a circular pattern around the central church, the family home dates back to 1750. From that time, six hectares of vines were inherited, from which the current wine estate expanded. Maintained and developed over generations, the estate now covers nearly one hundred hectares. The oldest vines, including Grenache, Merlot, and Chardonnay, bear witness to the dedication to the terroir. The name of the estate itself perpetuates the memory of the great-grandparents, Rose and Paul . It was in the path they laid out that Gérard Foussat , their son, undertook to enrich the grape varieties planted, spurred by the growth of the cooperative movement. In the next generation, the management of the now independent estate fell to Gilles Foussat , who currently serves as president of the Malepère winegrowers' association. He is assisted by the latest generation of his children: Clément Foussat, who oversees the vineyards, and Camille Foussat , who handles sales coordination.
A wine region of interest
Domaine Rose & Paul embodies a piece of Malepère's viticultural history. It holds a part of its memory and contributes to the gradual rise of this young Languedoc appellation, officially recognized in 2007. Sculpted by the folds of the Pyrenean foothills, the Malepère AOP is divided into four terroirs. The one on which Domaine Rose & Paul 's vineyard is located is the Carcassonne terroir . The vines are rooted in old terraces whose northern horizon is framed by the Montagne Noire, while to the south it borders the neighboring Limoux terroir . At the crossroads of Mediterranean and oceanic influences, and benefiting from an altitude in Arzens that maintains a welcome coolness, the vineyard offers remarkable conditions for producing wines of great interest. These wines benefit from grape varieties adapted to the dual oceanic and Mediterranean influences. Thus, for red grape varieties, Merlot, Cabernets and Malbec coexist with Grenaches. For white grape varieties, Chardonnay reigns supreme.
Plot and mono-varietal
A distinctive feature of Domaine Rose & Paul is its commitment to single-vineyard vinification. The Malepère terroir, with its rolling hills sculpted within the commune of Arzens, is ideal for imparting unique geological characteristics to the vines. Thus, certain cuvées base their personalities on the imprint that the terroir leaves on the expression of the grape varieties. The toponymy of the plots themselves hints at the potential for nuance: Le Viala , Saint Marcel , Les Caillages , Roudel , and so on. The expressive palettes they create are particularly showcased in the estate's signature cuvées. For example, in red wine, a blend of grape varieties typical of Malepère, it is Roudel that lends its name to a cuvée aged for six months in oak barrels, combining Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Grenache. In white wine, outside the Malepère appellation, it is the Viala grape that lends its name to a 100% Chardonnay cuvée, a grape variety that finds a beautiful expressive breadth here on a south-facing sandstone and limestone slope. True to the literal expression of the terroir, Domaine Rose & Paul also focuses on vinifying a red and a rosé wine, simply labeled AOC Malepère . These are displayed alongside several single-varietal wines that take advantage of the great potential of this terroir, situated between two distinct climats: a 100% Malbec red and a 100% Chardonnay white . Finally, among the vernacular appellations of Languedoc, a rosé from Côtes de Prouilhe , made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, stands out.