Domaine de Bon Augure, an exciting wine estate in the Languedoc with very interesting soils
Website: https://www.domainedebonaugure.fr/
Cédric Guy farms 9 hectares of very interesting vineyards near the village of Joncels, with distinctive soils. They are ‘breche calcaire’, which translates as brecchiated limestone. Small limestone pebbles are cemented together, and this is really distinctive.
The wines are currently labelled IGP Haute Vallée de l’Orb, but soon they may be part of a new AOP called Monts d’Avene, which will be restricted to Chardonnay on the brecchiated limestone. Bon Augure has 6 hectares of Chardonnay, and also some Petit Manseng, Petite Arvine (sur echalas), Sauvignon Gris, Grenache Gris and Pinot Gris.
Farming is organic/biodynamic, and the altitude here is 600 m.
These wines are imported into the UK by Saison Wines.
Domaine de Bon Augure En Terre Étrangère 2024 IGP Haute Vallée de l’Orb, France
13% alcohol. Chardonnay, 50% barrel fermented, used oak. Textured, fresh and linear with lovely weight and real precision. There’s concentration and depth, but it’s not in the least bit fat, with citrus and pear fruit, finishing fresh and focused. 94/100 (UK retail c. £20)
Domaine de Bon Augure Joncs-Cella 2024 IGP Haute Vallée de l’Orb, France
13% alcohol. The name is Latin for Joncels. This is 80% Chardonnay and 20% Petit Manseng, fully barrel fermented in new oak. This is very fine and textural with a spicy framing to the rich pear and citrus fruit. Lovely precision with a fine acid line. Real focus and depth here, and it stays fresh with a nice bitter hint on the finish. 94/100 (UK retail c. £24)
Domaine de Bon Augure Aux Innocents Les Mains Pleines 2024 IGP Haute Vallée de l’Orb, France
This translates to ‘to the innocents, full hands’. It’s a skin-fermented wine with Sauvignon Gris, Grenache Gris and Pinot Gris, all of which have some pigmentation in their skins, so not technically an orange wine. 7 days on skins in stainless steel. Vivid amber colour. Refined, concentrated, powerful. Lovely intensity here with bold fruit and a slight saltiness on the finish. Great acidity, and real sense of refinement. 95/100 (UK retail c. £20)
Domaine de Bon Augure DSLS 2021 IGP Haute Vallée de l’Orb, France
13% alcohol. Petite Arvine that spends 2 years in new barrels, which are from the ‘nuits’ range of Sirugue, a higher quality barrel designed for the most concentrated wines. And it soaks up the oak very well. Amazing vivid spicy nose with crystalline citrus fruit. The palate has spice, citrus and nuts with
