Henri Ramonteu
The story of a self-taught craftsman
THECauhapé Estateis located in the region ofsouthwest, in the heart of Béarn, a few kilometers from the city of Pau. It produces dry and sweet white winesJurançon appellationThe earliest written records of the property date back to 1558, the year in which the first vines were planted. The estate was then called “Caussapé” and covered 4 hectares.
Henri RamonteuHenri Ramonteu acquired the vineyard with his family in the 1980s and created Domaine Cauhapé with just one hectare of vines. Of peasant origin, he abandoned the family tradition of mixed farming in the Béarn region for winemaking in 1988. He never received any formal training in winemaking and learned through experimentation, following his desires and imagination. Little by little, he bought new plots of land and expanded the estate.
Today,The Cauhapé estate covers 43 hectaresof vines and produces 200,000 bottles each year.Henri RamonteuHe is supported by a team of 15 people, including an oenologist who assists him in the creation of the different cuvées. Famous for his sweet wines that made the estate's reputation, the winemaker is now focusing on his dry wines, which today represent 65% of the production.
Men and a land
Helping nature reveal all its promises
THECauhapé EstateThe vineyard is situated on hillsides. The vines are steep and at varying altitudes depending on the plot. The highest of these are around 400 meters. The vineyard benefits from a southeast exposure and a warm wind from Spain, which accelerates the ripening of the grapes. At the end of autumn, the skins of the berries are shriveled by frost, which helps preserve acidity.
In addition to these ideal climatic conditions, the vines benefit from soil composed of 40% yellow clay, which imparts vigor to the Petit Manseng grape variety. This grape is used to produce the estate's great sweet and dry white wines and represents 60% of the vineyard's plantings. The vineyard also includes 30% Gros Manseng and 2% Courbu, which contribute finesse and fruitiness to the wine.Henri Ramonteualso explores old grape varieties, such as Camaralet and Lauzet, in order to create a new generation of dry Jurançon, they represent 8% of the grape varieties.
This land is maintained with great care.All the work is done by hand and without any insecticides by about ten people.
- The stems of the bunches are crushed one by one with pliers.
- The leaf removal is done leaf by leaf, to allow sunlight to penetrate and harden the skin of the grapes.
- Nets are placed over the vines to protect the berries from birds.
Unique wines
A wide variety of pleasures
The harvest takes place very late, in December. The yield is naturally low, at 8 hectoliters per hectare. The grapes are selected through successive sorting and carefully placed in crates. They are then transported to the winery, which is equipped with a pneumatic press and stainless steel tanks to ensure the berries are received in optimal conditions. The grapes are left overnight in a cold room at a temperature between 8°C and 10°C to extract the aroma precursors. A 12-hour pre-fermentation maceration under CO2 is then carried out. 80% of the harvest is vinified in oak barrels. 20% of the wines undergo malolactic fermentation. Aging in barrels lasts from 6 months to 2 years, depending on the vintage.
THECauhapé EstateIt comprises 13 cuvées: 6 dry wines and 7 sweet wines, including 2 prestige sweet wines. The most renowned is Quintessence du Petit Manseng, which is produced only once every ten years.
The dry wines are very aromatic, with intense fruitiness and a dense, taut palate. The most prestigious cuvée is Canopée. The sweet wines also combine pleasure and character, with aromas of vanilla, honey, sometimes spice, and a smooth finish.
