Domaine Gonzague Maurice La Folie
WHY WE LOVE IT
- Maurice opened his winery in 2006 on the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage route, featuring an 18th-century tower, or “folie,” that served as a stopover for pilgrims.
- This wine is produced from 50-year-old vines.
- This single-vineyard parcel is South facing on the hilltop above the village of Parsac.
- The soils are clayey-limestone.
Varietal: 100% Merlot
Elaboration: Hand harvested and the grapes are double sorted, first in the vineyard and again in the cellar. Minimum use of chemicals. Vinification is made in small concrete tanks (50 to 70 hl) with control of the temperatures. Aged in concrete tanks and in one or two years old oak barrels. Bottle aged a minimum of one year prior to release.
Tasting Notes: “Named after a tower on the estate, this wine is pure, rich Merlot, solidly textured and with ripe black fruits. Not a shy wine, it has power, concentration and could even now benefit from further aging…” -Wine Enthusiast
PRESS
2016 – 91 Wine Enthusiast | 90 Jeb Dunnuck
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
Gonzague Maurice is a winemaker in Montagne near Saint-Emilion and the owner of Château de Grandchamp, Clos du Pavillon, Le Pavillon de Saint-Jacques, and La Folie. His viticulture journey began in Sancerre and Bordeaux, and he opened his winery in 2006 along the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela.
Maurice manages 12 hectares of organic-certified vines in Montagne Saint-Émilion, Puisseguin Saint-Émilion, and Castillon-Côtes de Bordeaux, avoiding insecticides and anti-rot products. His grapes are manually harvested.