Château les Miaudoux is a Biodynamic winery in South West France producing Bergerac AOC, Cotes de Bergerac AOC, and Saussignac AOC wines.

Background: With his wife Nathalie, Gérard Cuisset took over from the previous, ageing incumbent, Claude Martinet, as fermiers from 1987 and as owners in 1991. In 2014 their eldest son Samuel, and his wife Lisa Eckert-Cuisset, became involved, adding their market gardening business to the enterprise.

Vineyards: 1998 18 hectares. Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Chenin Blanc (0.8ha planted in 1994); Muscadelle; Sauvignon Blanc; Semillon. Every other row is permanently grassed. | 2008 30 hectares. | 2016 25 hectares. 

Certification: 2006 First vintage with full organic certification. | 2012 Biodynamic practices begin after the Cusset family met Pierre Masson and Alex Podolinsky. | 2014 Full Demeter Biodynamic certification for the first time. | 2017 Still certified Biodynamic.

Polyculture: 8 hectares of plums which become prunes (Pruneaux d’Agen), plus the market gardening (see above).

Wines

Bergerac Blanc AOC Sec: 1997 60% Semillon, 39% Sauv Blanc, 1% Muscadelle. Part machine picked. ALS yeast (“can cause high VA”). Skin contact. |  2016 Cool pineapple with texture (Millésime Bio 2017).

Bergerac Blanc AOC Sec, Inspiration: The oaked version of the above. Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadelle.

Bergerac Rosé AOC: Merlot, Cabernet Franc.

Bergerac Rouge AOC, Elaia: 100% Merlot. No added sulfites.

Bergerac Rouge AOC | 1996 100% oak aged (in 1995’s barrels). 100% Merlot (CS goes into cubitainer). Clean, plummy, rather obvious US wood (resinous), sweet, simple, appealing, at the winery Easter Sunday 1998, 11th April. | 2015 Nice smooth flavour, fine at Millésime Bio 2017.

Bergerac Rouge AOC, Inspiration | Made from the best parcels of Merlot (80%) and Cabernet Franc (20%) (Paul Strang, 2009, p181).

Côtes de Bergerac Blanc AOC Moelleux AOC | 1996 ALS yeast. Estery, clean, commercial, sugary, short at the winery Easter Sunday 1998, 11th April. | 2016 100% Muscadelle.

Saussignac AOC | 1990 Gérard Cuisset’s first attempt at a liquoreux, a wine for which he had to ask permission from the authorities because it exceeded the permitted sugar levels (Paul Strang, 2009, p181). | 1991 Made in very small volumes. | 1992 Made in very small volumes. | 1993 Made in very small volumes. | 1996 Liquoreux. From two parcels on south-west-facing slopes. Old vines, mass selection. Juice settles in barrel, fermentation is allowed to start, then once it gets going it is seeded with a commercial strain of yeast (Bayanus) to make sure fermentation does not stick (leading to high levels of volatile acidity). Barrel sample was the best wine so far when tasted at the winery Easter Sunday 1998, 11th April. | 2010 60% Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Muscadelle. 220 g/l residual sugar.

Contact

Château Les Miaudoux

F-24240 Saussignac (Dordogne), France

Tel+33 (0)5.53.27.92.31 | Website: See here.

Bibliography

Paul Strang, South-West France, The wines and winemakers (University of California Press, 2009).

Visit to the winery Easter Sunday 1998, 11th April.