Domaine Larroudé - Winery

Domaine Larroudé, Quality Wine Production

For the Estoueigt Family, winemaking is both a tradition and a passion. Following in the footsteps of several generations, Julien has managed Domaine Larroudé since the 1980s. In recent years, his son Jeremy has joined the family business. The property has been owned by in the family since 1889 but in the past, wine production at Domaine Larroudé had emphasis was on quantity, not quality. Julien changed all that with his wife Christine they replanted the vineyards and rebuilt the cellar. Their efforts have been a sucess. The wines at Domaine Larroudé have won many awards and the winery as won the admiration of fellow winemakers in the region. This has been a help in the revival of quality winemaking in the Jurançon appellation.

The Characteristics of the Local Terrain and the Winery Production

Domaine Larroudé has seven hectares of vineyards on an estate of 43 hectares. The vineyards mostly occupy clay-silica soil, looking towards the Pyrenées. This type of soil allows the vines to mature better. As a result, the flavours in wines from Domaine Larroudé are more fruit forward and less acidic. The vineyards are exposed to the “foehn”, a warm wind that blows up from Spain. This contributes to the mellow quality of the wines. Domaine Larroudé became fully organic in 2014 and use traditional methods in their winemaking philosophy.

Domaine Larroudé and Their Grape Varieties

For white wines, Domaine Larroudé grows Petit and Gros Manseng, both grapes that are commonly grown mostly in this part of southwestern France. They also grow Camaralet which is a very rare variety nowadays. For reds and rosés, Domaine Larroudé grows Tannat, a variety common near the Pyrenées but also popular today in Uruguay. They also grow Marselan – a cross of Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache, and Manseng Noir.