Château de Léberon Vin Muté de Gascogne Rouge

Château de Léberon, a 12 hectare estate in the Ténarèze appellation of Armagnac, was purchased in 1939 by Osmin Rozès. His grandson Jean is currently running the estate with his daughters Sophie and Caroline who are reinvigorating the estate, applying organic and biodynamic practices in the vineyard.

What is a vin muté? It is when one adds brandy to unfermented grape juice in order to prevent it from fermenting on its own. Classic examples include Pineau des Charentes, Macvin du Jura, and Floc de Gascogne. Léberon has been making a fortified wine in a solera system since 1987. They have a 4,000 liter foudre that holds the fortified juice. Each year, they draw up to 15 to 20% from the foudre and bottle it. It is then refreshed with the current harvest’s yield to continue the solera. They say that the old wine “educates” the younger wine.

Since this solera system is not allowed by appellation rules, it cannot be called Floc, so the resultant wine is called Vin Muté de Gascogne. This bottling is 100% Merlot, fortified with 3 year old Armagnac from their Ténarèze estate. The resultant wine is unfiltered and left to rest on its lees in the foudre. It is bottled, unfiltered, at its cask strength of 18% abv and is a great complement to cheese, paté, and desserts.