Lilas 2020
Domaine Coquelicot is more than a vineyard; it’s a living, breathing testament to nature, tradition, and innovation.
Founded in 2007, Domaine Coquelicot is the passion project of winemaker Grégoire Rousseau. Nestled in the charming village of Villefranche-de-Lonchat in Dordogne—known for its truffles and foie gras—the vineyard is just a stone's throw (12 miles!) from Saint-Émilion. Surrounded by lush forests and a bit higher up than its neighboring Bordeaux vineyards, Domaine Coquelicot benefits immensely from a unique microclimate.
The “Lilas” vineyard sits on a hillside with limestone-rich soil, catching the morning coolness and afternoon warmth—perfect Merlot conditions. Grégoire’s approach is as pure as it gets: his wines are unfined, unfiltered, and typically bottled with minimal sulfites.
The Producer
Domaine Coquelicot by Gregoire Rousseau was started in 2007 and he has been working organically from the beginning. The Domaine is in Dordogne (the land of truffles and foie gras) in the village of Villefranche-de-Lonchat, which is only a dozen miles from the village of Saint-Émilion. It's a little bit higher up than St. Émilion, and surrounded by forests. He's also only a 10-minute drive from Julien Voogt of Château Brandeau in Castillon Côtes-de-Bordeaux, and the two are very close friends (they also have very similar winemaking philosophies in regions where there are few natural winemakers). The Domain covers 8 hectares. In 2020, he planted a small amount of Riesling, Pineau d'Aunis, Syrah, and Sauvignon Blanc but the vines mainly consist of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and a small amount of Sémillon. He also is a big proponent of agroforestry, and planted 1000 (mainly fruit) trees near his young vines a few years ago. He's currently building (by himself!) a house in his vines that is off the grid, with solar panels, and a well as his water source.
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