Domaine Saint Martin

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Close to the medieval city of Carcassonne, classified as a Grand Site of Occitanie, Domaine Saint Martin is an emblematic family property of the IGP Cité de Carcassonne and more specifically of the viticultural qualities that characterize the appellation.

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A bucolic environment

About ten kilometers south of Carcassonne, in the direction of Limoux , lies the small village of Leuc. Beyond the village, a small road winds its way to the left through a valley bordered by vineyards. Carved over time by the Saint Martin stream, it stretches to a wooded islet where the winery, cellar, and family home are located. Nearby stands a wind turbine, its size signaling the proximity of the buildings. The Saint Martin estate thus forms an enclave nestled in a modest valley, on whose slopes the vineyards rise densely. On the heights, the wooded peaks set their limit from a reasonable altitude of about two hundred meters. This folded landscape of valleys and hills, where plots of vines coexist with Mediterranean vegetation as in the neighboring Corbières , gives a bucolic identity to this terroir typical of the IGP Cité de Carcassonne.

Climate convergence

Henri Cases is the name of the winemaker. Like his twin brother Philippe, who manages a vineyard on a neighboring terroir, Henri oversees the family estate as the fourth-generation heir. At Domaine Saint Martin , the vines stretch across 150 hectares of sun-drenched hillsides. The predominantly clay-limestone soils are interspersed with gravelly layers. In this western Languedoc terroir, the well-ventilated climate is influenced by both oceanic and Mediterranean climates. Reflecting this climatic fusion, grape varieties from the southwest coexist with those from the southeast. This blend is a local characteristic also found in the neighboring terroirs of Cabardès and Malepère . Thus, at Domaine Saint Martin , the red wines are made from Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon as well as Syrah and Carignan. Marselan, Caladoc, and Pinot Noir are also included. In these southern lands, where cool nights compensate for the daytime heat, white wines are also produced. They are primarily made from Chardonnay, which thrives particularly well in these terroirs, complemented by Sauvignon Blanc.

Singular cuvées

Red wines are predominant, as is typical in Languedoc. Each cuvée is unique, shaped by the story behind it. Among them, Merci!, made from 100% Marselan, subtly recounts the happy ending to a perilous event that marked the winemaker's life. The 1919 cuvée , a skillful balance between a dominant Merlot and complementary notes of Marselan, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and Caladoc, commemorates the estate's centenary, bearing the joint signature of twin brothers Henri and Philippe Cases. Le Rêve de Jo , celebrating the memory of great-grandfather Joseph, highlights the dual oceanic and Mediterranean influences, seeking the optimal balance between Syrah and Cabernet Franc. On summer tables, the terroir's freshness shines through in the Saint Martin rosé , born from the original blend of Caladoc and Chenanson. This freshness, which is one of the expressive potentials of Domaine Saint Martin, is expressed even more precisely with Rêve de Jo in its white wine version, a cuvée in pure Chardonnay aged on fine lees and lightly oaked.