Domaine Jorel

Languedoc, France

Domaine Jorel was started by Manuel Jorel and his family in 2000 but his work as a Vigneron started in 1988 at the cooperative in Maury. The Domaine began with just 0.4 hectares of Macabeu and slowly grew to the 7 hectares they are today. The vineyards are split between vines that are 60+ years and young vines planted by Manuel as his family.

Organic since the beginning, Manuel is committed to and fascinated by the old ways of farming: Manure, low/no tilling, no trimming or green harvesting, avoiding heavy machinery and tractors in the vines and pruning the vines in goblet. Though tempted by the world of biodynamics and certainly informed by it, Manuel’s reasons for not following Steiner’s path is clear. He quotes Walter Benjamin,

“With this tremendous development of technology, a completely new poverty has descended on mankind. And the reverse side of this poverty is the oppressive wealth of ideas that has been spread among people, or rather has swamped them entirely – ideas that have come with the revival of astrology and the wisdom of yoga, Christian science and chiromancy, vegetarianism and gnosis, scholasticism and spiritualism. For this is not a genuine revival but a galvanization.”

 

The farm is polycultural. There are animals like sheep and cows and the vines are treated with homeopathic doses of teas and tinctures but Manuel insists this is not Biodynamics. Soils are primarily schist with varying degrees of clay. Picking is done by hand in the early mornings and usually begins in September, going for a month or more. Some of the wines are picked early for freshness, while others are left to hang for a long time on the vines. Grapes are gently brought to the winery in small bins. Wines are all made without additions (save for a small dose of SO2 in some cases) before fermentation and a small dose at bottling (20mg/l max) to protect them for the journey across the ocean. Elevage is in old barrels and concrete and the wines are all unfined and rarely filtered.

Bande de Gypse Blanc

Named after the white stripe of gypsum that crosses the vineyard and makes up part of the soil. 1/3 is Macerated for about 2 weeks, 2/3 is direct pressed. A blend of local grape varieties: Tourbat, Maccabeo, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Carignan Blanc, Muscat and Petite Manseng. Lightly filtered before bottling.

 

Champ Nouveau Orange

A blend of local grape varieties: Muscat, Malvoisie, Grenache Blanc, Piquepoul and Gros Manseng. Maceration for about 10 days in whole clusters. Elevage in old barrels. Unfiltered, very low SO2.

 

Cuvee Segonde Rouge

Whole cluster Grenache Rouge, Carignan, Mourvedre

 

Cuvee Syrah

From a single vineyard. Young vines of Syrah planted on a pure schist slope. Whole cluster.

Retail

  • Boutique del Vino at Piazza de Nardi

  • De Luca Fine Wine

  • Ellement Wine & Spirits

  • Winehouse