Domaine Sainte Croix
About
Jon and Liz have been farming and vinifying the majestic old vineyards on this special property for over 18 years; organic certification was obtained in 2008. The domaine is almost entirely composed of 80-100+ year-old, bush-trained vines, a traditional wine feature of the Mediterranean but perhaps existing in too many unknown corners for the fine wine consumer to have been exposed to very often. Here, the higher elevation of the Hautes Corbières, the wind that comes from only 20km away due east off the sea, and the unique and varied soil types – limestone, yes, but also sand, clay, quartz, and schist, depending on the parcel – all contribute to wines which are powerful and concentrated, but balanced by acidity, lift, and the unmistakeable ability to age.
Products
'La Serre' Blanc Vallee du Paradis
Certified Organic. 60% Grenache Blanc, 40% Grenache Gris. 'La Serre' is the name of a special limestone hill which overlooks the village of Fraïssé des Corbières, where Sainte Croix is located. The vineyards are bush-trained, between 50-60 years old, partly on schist, partly on pure limestone. Both vineyard parcels are coplanted to these varieties. 100% whole-cluster, direct-pressed, fermented in stainless steel tank and raised on full lees for at least nine months. Unfined, gently cross-flow filtered, 20-30ppm SO2 total. A startlingly beautiful rendition of Corbières blanc: probably the benchmark white wine in the entire AOP, pointing toward how special the pocket is of the Hautes Corbières in which this domaine is working.
'Le Fournas' Rouge Corbieres
Organic. 45% Carignan, 30% Syrah, 25% Grenache. Taken from three different parcels for each individual varieties, on limestone, chalky-clay, and sandy loam respectively. Vineyards are all at least 100 years old, bush-trained, and have been farmed organically by Sainte Croix for 20 years. Fermented and raised in stainless steel for 18 months on full lees. Unfined, very gently cross-flow filtered. 30ppm SO2.
'Le Pourboire' Rouge Vallee du Paradis
Organic. 60% Carignan, 30% Grenache, 10% Syrah. Taken entirely from vineyards of 85-110 years of age. This wine is harvested a touch earlier than the rest of Sainte Croix's reds and always has a slightly lower Ph, leading to stability in the final wine. Meant to be easier-drinking and consumed younger, but still a clear depiction of the special valley in the Hautes Corbières where Ste Croix is working. Unfined, but very gently filtered via a cross-flow filter, which is less mechanically abrasive than a standard plane filter. 25ppm total SO2.
'Magneric' Rouge Corbieres
Organic. 40% Syrah, 30% Carignan, 30% Grenache. 'Magneric' is the fullest fingerprint of the Sainte Croix domaine: each year, it is a blend of the very best single-vineyard parcels, each of which is at least 90 years old and the oldest of which is pushing 110. Soils are limestone, sandy quartz, and a very rare single hectare of volcanic soils similar to those in the Dolomites. Mostly destemmed fruit, with between 5-10% whole clusters thrown in each year. This wine spends between 20-22 months in neutral barrel each vintage. Unfined, gently cross-flow filtered. 20-30ppm SO2 total.
