Domaine Capmartin, naturally made wines from southwest France
Website: Domaine Capmartin, southwest France
This is a family winery, now run by Simon Capmartin. His father created the domaine in the 1980s, after leaving his own family’s winery in Madiran in the 1980s. Samuel has taken things in a more natural style, farming biodynamically and making no additions save for some sulfites in just a few of the wines. Most of the grapes are from their own vineyards, except for those purchased for their Lou Piaf wine.
They farm 20 hectares with an average vine age of 60 years. The planting density is higher than average, too: 6400 per hectare versus the norm of 4500.
THE WINES
Domaine Capmartin Lou Piaf 2021 IGP Côtes de Gascogne, France
A blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Colombard. Bright, pure and fresh with nice texture. Has a hint of almond but the core is lively lime and apple fruit, showing nice purity. 89/100
Domaine Capmartin Cosmique 2021 IGP Côtes de Gascogne, France
Chardonnay, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris. Red clay soils with big rocks. ‘In the summer this plot is like the desert,’ says Samuel, ‘like Martian soil.’ Nice weight here with a stony undercurrent to the powerful citrus and pear fruit, and some fine spicy notes. Lively and vital with lovely acidity. 91/100
Domaine Capmartin Agrumes & Caetera 2021 AOP Pacherenc du Vic Bihl, France
Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng and Petit Corbu. One-third barrel and then all in tank, aged 6 months on lees. Wonderful nose of lime, pear and apricot with a touch of honey. The palate is powerful with high acidity and a lovely linear, concentrated flow of ripe fruit, kept bracing by the acidity. 93/100
Domaine Capmartin Pimpant Rouge 2021 IGP Côtes de Gascogne, France
60% Tannat and 40% Syrah. No added sulfites. One third is semi-carbonic (destemmed berries), one third is kept in press until fermentation begins and then pressed, and the last third is regular fermentation, but when it hits 1040 density everything is fermented together at 23 C in the juice phase. Fresh and supple with lovely raspberry and cherry fruit. Bright but not tannic with a grainy, juicy quality. 91/100
Domaine Capmartin Tannat 2019 AOP Madiran, France
13.5% alcohol. Picked early. Supple, juicy and vivid with lovely pure red fruits and a nice fine, crunchy tannic structure. This is so fresh and pure and has some wet rock stoniness. Vivid in style with good acidity. 92/100
Domaine Capmartin Cuvée de Couvent 2017 AOP Madiran, France
Picked a little later, this comes from clay/limestone soils with high density vines, and is aged for 2 years in 500 litre barrels then 6 months in tank. Bold and vivid with fresh sweet black cherries and blackberries with good acidity. This has lovely mineral notes and a sense of brightness: it’s not at all heavy. 93/100
UK agent: Alliance Wine
