S.C.V. Castelmaure is a cave cooperative founded in 1921. Today it consists of 65 members, 15 of which bring 85% of the production. The winery is located in the unofficial Corbières cru site of Durban (there is 1 official Cru and 11 unofficial Cru sites in Corbières ), also known as the high Corbières in the past, reflecting the very steep landscape, typical of the area, with vines planted from 180 to nearly 400 meters high (90% in Corbières AOC). The Serre mountain in the south protects the little plateau of Castelmaure from the off-weather patterns of the Mediterranean Sea.
The co-op farms 412 hectares (1,018 acres) around the tiny hamlet of Embres et Castelmaure. Each of the 760 parcels are supervised by a technician who inspects them & records their characteristics. They have learned new methods for pruning, ploughing, checking yields, sorting & selecting that respectful to the environment. All the grapes are harvested by hand. This is the only cooperative harvesting 100% of its crop manually with crates, without having the obligation to do so - philosophy is based on quality.
Castelmaure has been pursuing its quest for quality and excellence since its foundation in 1921, focusing on innovation and audaciousness to offer the best quality wines with one goal in mind creating a beautiful expression of the Corbières magnificent terroir, through easy drinking and approachable wines for all budgets. This involves hard, meticulous work, from the vineyards to the bottling line.
In the cellar, vat hygiene, temperature control and ultramodern pressing contribute to a better expression of the terroir.
Antoine Robert is the head winemaker & director of the cave. He is assisted in winemaking by Fabrice Santini.
Castelmaure produces 90% red wine, 80% of which is A.O.C. Corbières. The soil is made of schist, limestone, alluvial river wash and argilo-calcaire.
