Domaine des Costes Rouges

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Domaine de Costes Rouges - Marcillac

Nauviale, Aveyron
Claudine Vinas took over her parents' farm in the early 1990’s. With her husband Eric, a former restaurateur in Toulouse, they have gradually expanded the vineyards of Domaine des Costes Rouge from 3 to 6 hectares. Some of the Mansois vines are planted on terraces and others on gradual slopes.

photo © F. Agharabi

With such small holdings, Eric and Claudine are the only employees. As such, they do all the vineyard work themselves without the use of any synthetic chemicals. The soil is tilled with a plow and only copper and sulfur are used to combat mildew. Grape plantings are 100% Mansois and are hand-harvested. Fermentation occurs in underground cement tanks over the course of 8-10 days. Afterwards, the wine is racked and aged in above ground cement tanks. In the late spring, the wine is bottled without filtration. The domaine has been certified organic since 2012.

Claudine Vinas © F. Agharabi

The Vinas family also have several rooms to rent and serve their guests meals in the evening. Like their grapes, the foods served on the table are all organic. In fact, all the food served, whether it be chicken, pork or vegetables, comes from their farm.

The vines in Marcillac are often planted on terrasses.

The Mansois grape
Red wine is the predominant product of Marcillac, although rosé is also allowed within the AOC. The king of grapes is Mansois, also known in other areas of the southwest as Fer Servadou or Braucol. This grape must be used in at least 80% of all Marcillac wines. Mansois gives the region its identity and its wine an individual and distinctive taste. Its rootstock is entrenched within red clay soils that are rich in iron oxide locally called rougiers. Mixed in are small amounts of limestone and schist, and these unique soils give Marcillac grapes that normally produce a lighter, more food-friendly monovarietal wine with good color and hints of raspberry fruit. This is in contrast to Madiran and Brulhois, where Mansois often produces a rather heavy, rustic wine that is better as a supporting player to the more noble varietals in a blend. What sets Mansois from Marcillac apart, though, is its perfume of ground red pepper and spice — often paprika. It makes for a highly enjoyable and memorable mouthful of wine. Wines from Marcillac are drinkable on release, but will generally age gracefully for 3 to 5 years.

The magnificent landscape of the Aveyron!

Domaine des Costes Rouges Marcillac "Tandem"
These Mansois grapes (from the domaine’s slightly younger vines) are hand harvested and 100% destemmed, then undergo a short maceration to preserve their fresh fruit. The wine is then aged in cement-lined tanks. Notes of cassis and an intense peppery note that recalls jalapeno and cayenne peppers. The finish is both supple and spicy. This intriguing bottle is also a great value!

Eric Vinas

Iron-rich, crumbly limestone soils