Vignobles Ouzoulias

Vignobles Ouzoulias - of estates and merchants

Vignobles Ouzoulias is a wine trading house in Bordeaux, which also has affiliated wineries. This constellation is quite typical in the western French wine region, where large houses like Moueix have a huge portfolio of wineries. Vignobles Ouzoulias has three vineyards, which extend over Grand Cru sites. The most famous, where the company's headquarters are also located, is Château Franc-Pourret in Saint-Émilion. It also owns the Château Haut Patarabet and Château Chante l'Alouette estates.

Ouzoulias - pioneers of ecological viticulture

The house is now run by Claire Ouzoulias and her brother in the 6th generation. Already in the 80s, their father Pierre was convinced of the ecological way of cultivation and started to convert the viticulture in pioneer work. Already in 1989 the complete certification of all three wineries of the house took place. Chemical pesticides are completely avoided, and natural methods are used instead. For example, the rows are plowed so that the soil is accumulated at the roots and forms a natural barrier. Twice a year, the piled-up soil is removed again. In this way, the soil is moved and the microbial life in it is stimulated. It is also a very effective way to control weeds.

The terroir of the vineyards of Vignobles Ouzoulias

The three wineries of the house have different terroirs, which in turn allows for wines with different characters:

• Château Franc-Pourret: slopes with clayey-limestone soils, produce full-bodied, powerful wines
• ChâteauHaut-Patarabet: clayey-sandy soils, lots of silt, very fertile. The wines are supple, round and fleshy
• Chante l'Alouette: Quaternary sandy soils, located on hillsides. Produce supple, light wines

Planting density in the vineyards ranges from 3000 to 6000 plants per hectare. Two grape varieties typical of Bordeaux are planted:

• 75% Merlot
• 25% Cabernet Franc

In the cellar of Vignobles Ouzoulias

The harvest material is macerated to preserve the valuable ingredients from the grapes. Fermentation takes place in vats, with the must being stirred to achieve better extraction. Aging takes place in barriques, and racking is performed during aging to remove suspended solids from the wine. The aging of the individual wines takes place separately, the wines are blended at the end in large tanks with 5500 l capacity. The total aging time ranges from 1 year to 2 years. This elaborate aging process results in wines that have a long shelf life of 15 to 30 years.