In 1970, when there was a great exodus from the Languedoc due to a loss of faith in its vineyards to provide a sufficient living, Jean-Pierre Jullien named his domaine “Cal Demoura”, which in Occitan means “one must remain”. He came from a long line of vignerons and, at that time, he followed most of his colleagues as they closed their caves and attempted to survive by participating in the local cooperative. Jean-Pierre’s son, Olivier, refused to follow the path of the cooperative and established his own domaine, the “Mas Jullien”, in 1985. Jean-Pierre, in a reversal of the usual process, took the example of his son, resigned from the cooperative and recreated his own estate in 1993. He sold off a portion of his vineyards and retained only the best 5 hectares. With these, he began making a wine of regal dimensions that helped to lead the qualitative revolution in the Languedoc. In 2004, Jean-Pierre retired, selling the estate to its current owners, Isabelle and Vincent Goumard. Seduced by the estate’s winemaking philosophy, as well as by the potential of its terroir, this young couple, having studied oenology in Dijon, spent a year working side by side with Jean-Pierre in the vineyard and in the cellar, before taking full control of the estate. Having worked with Jean-Pierre Jullien for the entirety of his career as producer and now having worked with Isabelle and Vincent from the very outset of theirs, we can happily attest to the fact that this transition, from Jullien to Goumard, is one of the most felicitous in our experience.
The estate now encompasses eleven hectares of vineyards located in the village of Jonquières and in the neighboring community of Saint Felix, approximately 45 minutes (30 kilometers) northwest of Montpellier, just south of Clermont l’Hérault. They are situated in the heart of the Terrasses du Larzac, an independent subdivision within the Coteaux du Languedoc AOC that was recognized in 2004 for its distinctive ability to render wines of exceptional balance and depth due to the special micro-climate in which it is located. The vineyards feature five red grape varieties in approximately equal parts: Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah, Carignan and Cinsault. A small group of parcels are planted to a half-dozen white varieties (Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Viognier, Muscat and Petit Manseng) to produce a rather remarkable Vin de Pays de l’Herault Blanc. The average age of the vines is 40 years (as of 2020) with significant parcels of Grenache, Cinsault and Carignan being considerably older. The soil is very dry and stony with a deep but porous topsoil. The various parcels of the domaine are distributed over a terroir that is both geographically and climatically diverse. These variations, combined with an assortment of different cépages, result in wines of complexity and finesse. The Terrasses du Larzac also benefits from the cooling winds that come both from the Mediterranean (to the south) and from the mountains to the north of Monpeyroux. This results in a long growing season that preserves essential acidity and yields juice of high complexity.
Farming
Certified organic, practicing biodynamic since 2013, awaiting biodynamic certification from Biodyvin
Treatments
Only copper sulfate and biodynamic preparations
Ploughing
Annual ploughing to promote soil health
Soils
Limestone-rich stony soil and limestone clays
Vines
Average age 35 years, trained in Gobelet except for Grenache, which is trained in Cordon de Royat. Vines planted at 4,500-8,000 vines/ha
Yields
Controlled through severe pruning, debudding, and an occasional green harvest. Average yields 15-25 hl/ha
Harvest
Entirely manual, in mid-late September
Sourcing
Entirely estate fruit
Fermentation
All fermentations are spontaneous. Rosé ferments in stainless-steel tanks; reds ferment in concrete vats and stainless-steel tanks after partial destemming. Cuvaison lasts 20-35 days
Extraction
Puchdowns and pumpovers
Chaptalization
None
Pressing
Pneumatic pressing
Malolactic Fermentation
Blocked with sulfur for rosé, spontaneous following alcoholic fermentation for reds
Élevage
Reds spend 12 months in demi muids and foudres followed by 4-6 months in stainless-steel tanks prior to bottling. Rosé ages in stainless-steel tanks
lees
Wines remain on their fine lees until racking following malolactic fermentation
Fining and Filtration
Wines are unfined and unfiltered
sulfur
Applied at harvest, racking, and bottling; 45 mg/l total sulfur, 25 mg/l free sulfur
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