domaine les pas de l’escalette
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Julien Zernott and his wife, Delphine Rousseau took on the challenge of creating a “domaine” in the stony, hot, arid land of Pégairolles-de-l’Escalette – a tiny commune of 140 144 inhabitants just north and west of Montpellier.
Julien, with his degrees in viticulture and oenology (as well as a track record of producing outstanding wines in the Loire appellation of Menetou-Salon), and his wife Delphine, have built the domaine from small parcels of old-vine Grenache, Carignan, Syrah, and old plantings of Alicante, Aramon, Carignan Blanc, and Terret Bourret.
The soil, such as it is, is carved into steep limestone hillsides. These soils provide “cut” to the richly ripe fruit, and help to restrain yields, resulting in wonderful concentration of flavors.
The farming is organic, leaning towards bio-dynamic, and the fruit is hand-harvested and sorted.