Domaine Begude is an historic estate set in the foothills of the Pyrénées in the Limoux region of the South of France. The vineyard dates back to the 16th century and with a great terroir, has always enjoyed a reputation for excellence. The family owned estate runs to 29ha at about 320m above sea level.
James and Catherine Kinglake fulfilled a lifetime’s dream in 2003 when they bought the Domaine Begude estate with its beautiful views over the Pyrénées and Corbières. It has been organically farmed for the last 30 years, Domaine Begude has won many awards and much acclaim in recent years.
James and Catherine aim to produce outstanding cool climate wines from the wonderful terroir of Domaine Begude. The fruit is of a very high and natural quality thanks to the long growing season and the team’s belief in a healthy, sustainable environment that is achieved through organic farming. Although organic farming has been practised for many years it is not fully certified; Domaine Begude is currently “in conversion” to Ecocert and NOP certification. As James and Catherine say:
“We are passionate about maintaining a healthy, living soil and a sustainable environment; to this end, we only use organic manures to fertilise and we weed mechanically or by hand, rather than weed killing chemically. We also observe the lunar calendar in viticulture practice at planting, pruning & harvest time. In our modern winery we follow a strict “minimum intervention” philosophy.”
At Domaine Begude they employ: Laurent, a driven perfectionist as manager/wine-maker. He has made wine all over France, as well as at Rippon Vineyard in Central Otago, New Zealand. In the vineyard are two other important members of this dynamic team, Vincent & Driss. Additionally, assistance and advice is provided by Richard Osbourn the renowned Australian wine-maker who has been based in the South of France for the last 20 years.
Domaine Begude Wines:
