Cave de Marmandais

An enterprising co-operative under the spirited direction of Bertrand Cherel who brings his expertise working in top wineries all over the world. The wines of Marmande follow the river Garonne and the vineyards border and sometimes overlap those of Bordeaux. In fact, the wines of the Marmandais were sought after in the export markets of the Middle Ages, being shipped through Bordeaux to Britain and the Netherlands. After a long period where the area languished in obscurity the region is making a name for its tasty, good value wines, ostensibly due to the Caves de Marmandais which controls some 90% of the appellation. The co-operative was formed in 2003 from a merger of two other co-ops, and combines 800 hectare of vineyard from 125 growers, offering them excellent technical resources as well as a strong commitment to supporting its growers through its ethical charter. Two kilometres from the winery sits the Château de Beaulieu, an old property under the ownership of Mme Schmidt, a woman of purpose and unshakeable faith in the quality of the wines made there. The Cave took over the management of the vineyard in 2013, but also commercialise the old vintages of the estate. They are long lasting wines made in a resolutely old-school manner, robustly constituted, and ageing fabulously.