Domaine Ollier-Taillefer is an organic estate in the Faugères AOC region in the Languedoc region of France.

Owners: Domaine Ollier-Taillefer is a family estate. It is run by Luc and Françoise Ollier, brother and sister, the 5th generation of locally-born wine-makers. In 1977, their parents Nicole and Alain Ollier sold the first bottles produced on the estate. At the time, Faugères was only a VDQS (198+ AC). Luc joined the estate in 1990, Françoise in 2002 (she had spent the previous 11 years running the syndicat for a local appellation).

Staff: Oen Cons: Jean-Philippe Escorne.

Vineyards: 30 hectares in the north-eastern part of the Faugères in central Languedoc. The vineyards are planted on steep schistous slopes (schistes-grèseux I was told at Mill Bio 2015), south-facing and at a height of 200 to 350 metres above sea level according to plot.

Organic certification: 2001 IPM (Terra Vitis). | 2009 Organic conversion from 21st Sept 2009 (Agence Bio). | 2012 First vintage with full organic certification.

Winery: The owner told me at Millésime Bio 2015 that they had changed the cuverie in 2012 from a mix of steel and concrete tanks to gravity-fed steel in order to have better temperature control.

Production: An average of 1,100hl (800hl of Faugères Rouge, 240hl of Faugères rosé, 80hl of Faugères Blanc).

Wines

Faugères Blanc AOC, Allegro: 2013 Rolle and Roussanne. Unoaked. Very savoury, well made (Millésime Bio 2015).

Faugères Rosé AOC, Les Collines Rosé: Young vine Grenache Noir, Syrah and Mourvèdre.

Faugères Rouge AOC, Les Collines Rouge: 2013 From younger vine Carignan, Grenache Noir, Syrah. Shortish cuvaison (10 days). Nice crisp red mint, shortish (Millésime Bio 2015).

Faugères Rouge AOC, Grande Réserve: From the oldest Carignan (planted in the 1930s, 1950s, but mainly in the 1910s) plus Grenache Noir and Syrah from the 1970s. Unoaked. | 2012 Well made, ripe, savoury, nice line (Millésime Bio 2015).

Faugères Rouge AOC, Castel Fossibus: From the oldest Grenache Noir, Syrah, Mourvèdre. Oaked. | 2012 50% Syrah, 25% each Carignan and Mourvèdre. 12 months in oak (<20% new). Sweet and grainy with bright old vine richness (Millésime Bio 2015).

Grenache Doux, Vin de Table: Pink in colour. Late picked. Chilled to block fermentation.

Contact

Domaine Ollier Taillefer

Route de Gabian, F-34320 Fos (Hérault), France

Tel+33 (0)4.67.90.24.59 Website www.olliertaillefer.com