The Domaine de Nizas was acquired in 1998 by John Goelet with the
collaboration of Bernard Portet, co-founder of Clos du Val in Napa Valley. A visionary,
who had by the 1970s the idea of making great wines using the world's best
soils. John Goelet an American of French origin, a direct descendant of the
family Guestier (traders in Bordeaux), has always had a traditional wine-based finesse
and elegance. He had already created Clos du Val in Napa Valley (California), Taltarni
in Victoria (Australia) and Clover Hill in Tasmania.
Domaine de Nizas is located in the South of France, on the outskirts of
the village of Nizas near Pézenas in the heart of the Languedoc region. Located
20 miles from the Mediterranean Sea, the exceptional terroir of Pezenas as ideal
for creating high quality wines, the traditional way, which express the
character Mediterranean climate with low rainfall and dry, warm summers.
On a manually tended 200-acre vineyard, the estate is known for
handcrafted limited-production wines. Their goal is to serve as a model in
terms of elegance, complexity, balance and aging ability among Mediterranean
wines. The winery crafts boutique-style, artisanal wines and emphasizes
sustainable agriculture.
Winemaking in the Languedoc region in the south of France began as
early as the 5th Century B.C.E., when Greeks planted vineyards along the coast
near the city of Narbonne. Those ancient vintners no doubt realized that the
region’s soils were special. The winery’s terroir offers a unique mosaic of
three soil types. These soils are deep and provide excellent drainage while retaining
moisture at root level, ensuring vines fully ripen without water stress. 
The Villafranchian (pebbles, river gravel soil), often found in the
Chateauneuf du Pape area of the Southern Rhone Valley, preserves the freshness
of flavors and produces elegant and velvety tannins. This soil type brings finesse and structure
to the wines grown at Nizas, as well as a good acidity that allows the wine to
age. It produces aromas of chocolate and coffee in Syrah.
The Basalt, a type of volcanic flow unique to the Pézenas area, creates
fine, mineral aromas and elegant structure with flavor sensations of spice and
licorice.
The Marne Calcaire (limestone-clay) when planted with Syrah, results in
more powerful wines with red berries aromas.
70 percent of the Domaine de Nizas acreage is classified as Appellation
d’Origine Contrôlée Coteaux du Languedoc. The average age of the vines is 20
years, ranging from recently planted Syrah to 60 year-old Carignan. The
varietals used in Domaine de Nizas wines include Syrah, Mourvèdre and Grenache
in the AOC category as well as Syrah, Carignan, Viognier and Muscat Petit Grain
in the Vin de Pays category.
Domaine de Nizas has been certified by the Bureau Veritas, an
independent government bureau, which strives to protect the health of consumers
and respect the environment. Domaine de Nizas obtained its sustainable
agriculture certification in 2003 as a result of pioneering efforts to farm
sustainably since their inception in 1998.
Domaine de Nizas practices sustainable agriculture by:
The vines are worked manually and a decisive approach is taken towards
pruning, bud removal, lifting the wires, and if required, removing excess
grapes.
The plantation of the vineyard with a long term view, conserving old
vines with high quality potential such as our Carignan of 55 years old.
Favoring the biological life of the soils by using ploughing and grass rather than herbicides
Favoring the biological life of the soils by using ploughing and grass rather than herbicides
Tracing each bottle of wine to a specific vineyard plot in order to
more effectively control quality and segment any bottle variances to its origin
in the vineyard
Minimally using selective fungicides and insecticides to conserve
natural predators of vine parasites
WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY
Grapes are harvested at optimum ripeness with a good balance of sugar
and acidity. The trellised vines are machine harvested, however, the young
vines and old vines are hand-picked. Transport of the grapes in tipping
trailers or small crates for the hand-picked fruit to assure good condition of the
grapes from the vineyard (white grapes are protected from oxidization).
The cellar is situated at Usclas d’Hérault (5 to 10 km from the
vineyards), this former apple warehouse transformed into a winery offers a well-adapted
solution for vinifying, ageing and warehousing wines. Located on 3000 m² on the
edge of the village, the 1300 m² building was renovated and transformed in May
in time to receive the harvest in 2001.
Once the grapes arrive at the winery the grapes are de-stalked (with
the exception of the Carignan to be vinified under carbonic maceration) and
gently put into tanks. Maceration is carefully controlled in order to naturally
enhance the work that has already been done in the vineyard shooting for deep colors,
intense and pure aromas, full-bodied and soft tannins.
After 15 to 25 days on the skins, the grapes are pressed and the resulting wine is then graded according to the quality of the press. The wines pass into oak barrels to complete the malo-lactic fermentation. The oak ageing of part of the wine to be included in the final blend aims to enhance the Mediterranean character of our wines without dominating it. The wines aged in tanks are regularly pumped over.
After 15 to 25 days on the skins, the grapes are pressed and the resulting wine is then graded according to the quality of the press. The wines pass into oak barrels to complete the malo-lactic fermentation. The oak ageing of part of the wine to be included in the final blend aims to enhance the Mediterranean character of our wines without dominating it. The wines aged in tanks are regularly pumped over.
After 9 to 12 months, the wines are pumped over and blended in
preparation for the bottling, when they are lightly filtered. They are then
aged in bottle in our air-conditioned warehouse awaiting their launch onto the
market.
Description and praise for the wine:
Domaine de Nizas 2006 Coteaux du Languedoc
This is a blend of Syrah, Mourvèdre and Grenache. This wine is deep garnet in color, with fragrant aromas of blackberries, bilberries (European blueberries) and spices. The distinctive herbal notes commonly found in wines around the Mediterranean called garrigue—lavender, sage, rosemary and wild thyme—speak to the wine’s regionality and terroir. The palate is well-balanced and clean, becoming round and full-bodied, with soft, ripe tannins and a long finish. Enjoyable now or age for up to five years in a cool cellar.
This is a blend of Syrah, Mourvèdre and Grenache. This wine is deep garnet in color, with fragrant aromas of blackberries, bilberries (European blueberries) and spices. The distinctive herbal notes commonly found in wines around the Mediterranean called garrigue—lavender, sage, rosemary and wild thyme—speak to the wine’s regionality and terroir. The palate is well-balanced and clean, becoming round and full-bodied, with soft, ripe tannins and a long finish. Enjoyable now or age for up to five years in a cool cellar.
Wine Spectator - This elegant red, with interesting hints of juniper
and savory herb to the red fruit flavors. Well-structured and balanced, with a
succulent finish. Syrah, Mourvèdre and Grenache. Drink now through 2014. Score: 90.
—Kim Marcus, September 30, 2010.
