Why it matters
The producer
Matthieu Molinié trained in viticulture and oenology before he and Virginie created Château Ponzac in Carnac-Rouffiac. The estate farms organically, manages yields, thins leaves and vinifies each parcel separately. The range is built around Malbec and named Cahors cuvées, with each parcel receiving its own vinification before the wines are bottled.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
Carnac-Rouffiac is the Molinié family's home village. Château Ponzac's Cahors wines come from separate plots, and the named cuvées retain those plot distinctions from cellar to label. The estate works across marly limestone, clay limestone, ferruginous clay and a valley of pebbles, with each ground type attached to a separate parcel expression.
Wines to know
The range in view
The lineup includes Maintenant ou Jamais!, Château Ponzac, La Tempéradou, Côt en Dolia and Les Peyrières. Each cuvée reflects vinification specific to its parcel, so the range is organised by named plot. Maintenant ou Jamais! comes from marly limestone, Château Ponzac from clay limestone, La Tempéradou from ferruginous clay and Les Peyrières from a valley of pebbles. Château Ponzac 2022 is aged 18 months in foudre, a large oak vessel.
Malbec gives the wines dark berry fruit, with light spice behind it. The house style is balanced and subtle. In the mouth, the wines are medium bodied, fresh and long, with ample, dense, fleshy texture. The finish stays long and fresh, with the dense mouthfeel carrying into the final taste.