Château Fabre-Gasparets, Chimère Viognier, 2016

Located near Cruscades on a hill near the village, the Domaine Coulon-Veredus owes its name to its Latin origins « veredarius » (courrier, messenger), or « veredus » (post or cart horse). It is next to the Via Aquitania, a roman way linking the Mediterranean sea to the Atlantic along which a succession of inns and hostels enabled travellers to rest and change their horses. During deep ploughing undertaken in 1947 eight large jars were extracted, once used to keep oil, wheet and wine. Haute Bacaune constitutes the heart of the property with 38 hectares in one holding on a vast terrace of 'Würm', (beginning of the quatenary period), 39 m above sea level. Nearby, le Bassin, Olivery and La Plaine represent 20 supplementary hectares. The soils of these vineyards are composed of gravel to a depth of 10 metres covered with a 50-150 centimetres layer of clay and limestone. Thin in depth these soils are well adapted to the culture of Viognier, Carignan and Grenache varieties. Closer to the Orbieu river, 6 vineyard plots are more suitable for the culture of Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay, covering 14 hectares of recent alluvial soil. Plat de Beyret, Le Touat and Les Saint-Michel - 30 ha on a high terrace of a more ancient form of 'Riss' (48 m) – are planted with Carignan and Syrah vines which produce concentrated, complex wines. Situated twenty kilometres from the Mediterranean sea, the Château Coulon-Veredus is protected from humid sea winds by the Fontfroide hill range. The dominant wind called the 'Cers' blows more than 200 days a year and follows the profile of the Alaric mountain, a summit culminating at 600m above the Aude river valley. This fresh, dry wind prevents mildew from attacking cultures, preventing its development in the vineyards. The Cruscades terroir is characterised by a warm, dry climate. The vineyards of Château Coulon-Veredus have never been treated with weed killers, nor with synthetic fungicides and the property was certified for its organic culture by Ecocert in 1992.