Producer: Cypress Fund

Rodolphe Ourliac and Laetitia Gianesini

Where?

In 1998, in the heart of the Corbières appellation, between Lézignan and Escales, Rodolphe and Laetitia purchased eighteen hectares of plots that would form the core of their Fond Cyprès estate. Even before planting their first vine, these locals, both descendants of winegrowers, already had a clear vision: "to produce southern wines that reflect our style, wines with character, rooted in our soils, but with freshness and refined tannins." They wanted to create concentrated terroir wines, entirely natural wines. They began by developing the terraces to plant vines: six years of work to create a winery that lived up to their dreams. The estate's conversion to organic farming began in 2004, and the first organic harvest was in 2010, at the same time as they began practicing natural winemaking. To achieve this, they received the help and expertise of Frédéric Cossard, their friend from Burgundy, also featured in the Culinaries catalog. Far from seeing natural wine as a bohemian market, they see it as the future of viticulture. The fact that Michelin-starred chefs praise their wines fuels this confidence.

Terroir and Soils

The formation of the Pyrenees significantly altered the soils of the old Corbières massif and the wine appellation that bears its name, transforming it into a mosaic of clay, limestone, sandstone, schist, and gravel terroirs. Around Lézignan, Quaternary detrital terraces dominate: stony scrubland, clay-limestone, and clay-gravel soils; true wine terroirs from which Fond Cyprès draws its quintessence. The dry Mediterranean climate is tempered by vegetation (trees and hedges) around the plots, preserving the freshness of the soil.

Plots and Grape Varieties

The first plots purchased were already planted with abandoned Carignan and Grenache, which had not seen any fertilizer or pesticides for years: these clean, vibrant soils were ideal conditions for embarking on natural winemaking. Around this historic heart of the estate, Syrah and Grenache Noir were planted. Finally, a final plot was planted with white grape varieties: Viognier, Grenache Blanc, and Roussanne.

Growing Methods

Since 2010, the estate has been certified organic (Ecocert, Nature et Progrès). Rodolphe and Laetitia like to point out that their example has convinced their neighbors to go organic as well. The vines are bordered by hedges of various plant species (iris, broom, pyracantha, bay laurel). The terraced vines are demarcated by low stone walls. Three-quarters of the harvest is carried out manually, in crates.

Vinification

Vinification is carried out without exogenous yeasts or added sulfites. Rodolphe and Laetitia select the finest grapes, destem them by hand, and ferment or press them. With the "pied de cuve" obtained by spontaneous fermentation, they inoculate the following vats. Careful cleaning of the vats and temperature control prevent the proliferation of bacteria. Extractions are gentle, and often, to soften the tannins, Bordeaux or Burgundy barrels with several wines are used for aging for nine to ten months. No filtration is performed.

The Wines

"We make wines for pleasure," say Laetitia and Rodolphe. For them, natural wine is first assessed by taste, from the harvest: the musts are fruitier, more fluid, more complex. The names of the vintages are simple: grape variety, appellation or color, plot; sometimes a little lyricism ("Cyprès de toi"), always in moderation. The vintages follow the plots very closely: The Grenache du bois Saint-Jaume, from sixty-year-old vines, restores in its velvety texture the aromas of garrigue present in the plot. The Carignan de la source, also from old vines, offers aromatic notes of linden and red fruits. The Syrah de la pinède expresses the freshness of young fifteen-year-old Syrahs surrounded by pines and cypresses, with aromas of black olive. Finally, the Corbières is a blend of the three. As for the Blanc des garennes, it is an atypical white from the South, rich and deep, which brings together the three white grape varieties planted in the youngest plot, harvested at the same time at different ripenesses.