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  hiroulet
in Gascogne is one of the rare properties in France to produce vintage wines
which take you through from the aperitif to the after-dinner liqueur.As an aperitif, try a chilled, white or rosé floc de Gascogne or our late harvest white wine, Soleil d'Automne. During your meal, we suggest our Terres Blanches dry white wine or our red wines for laying down, Domaine Chiroulet and Grande Reserve. To round off with an after-dinner liqueur, an Armagnac Réserve 10 ans or a Vieil Armagnac 1979 vintage. |
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this rough and generous soil, we take care to produce and mature wines of
character. This chalky-clay base, certain parts of which are composed of
fine clay rather like the slopes of Saint-Emilion, is the preferred soil
for the Merlot grape which constitutes 50 to 60 % of Domaine de Chiroulet
red wine. It gives our wines this red fruit flesh flavour and this intense
bouquet, while the Cabernet Sauvignon, Franc and Tanat grapes provide finesse,
freshness and structure. The union between these grapes takes place through
early blending in November and by being matured in oak casks for around
12 months. |
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the Chiroulet estate, distillation has been carried out in the traditional
manner using home distillers since 1893. Despite the habit of seeing them,
certain rituals still maintain their capacity to amaze us. Seeing the
neck of the "Scoucut" spring up, the copper funnel of the Armagnac
distiller designed by Mr Mikalowsky, is one of these moments when life
takes on a different appearance. The
apparatus is installed in a corner of our wine & spirits storehouse
during the first few days of November. Over the years, the fire lit within
the heart of it has become the pretext for visits during which tasting,
feasts, explanations and many more things take place.Here we talk about the precious white wine whose aromas have been preserved to this very day. We talk about the Ugni-blanc and Colombard grapes which come from the oldest vines on the estate. We tell how, after being harvested at its full maturity, the grape unfurls its acid potential, guaranteeing the eau de vie garde its Ténarèze denomination. But you have to wait before consuming it, leaving it the time to develop its full expression. Far from being a local mystery, this is an enigma to which nobody knows the answer. Let’s just simply say that in contact with the oak casks, the mix of time and the product, offers enthusiasts bitter-sweet aromatic flavours and amber tones the copper colour of which is a sight to see. So that is how our first few days in November are spent. For many years now, "La flamme de l'Armagnac" (The Armagnac Flame) has brought together all types of enthusiasts, both curious and impassioned, who still know how to appreciate the love poured into a profession and the beauty of the know-how behind the "finished product". |
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ituated
on the highest slopes in Gascony, at around 180 metres (600 feet) altitude,
the Chiroulet estate owes its name to the wind which whistles "Chiroula"
in the local dialect.
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