Why it matters
The producer
Domaine Reine Juliette is an Alliès family domaine whose wines are 100% estate grown and bottled. Its range includes Picpoul de Pinet, Piquepoul Noir, Chardonnay and IGP Pays d'Oc Rosé.
The estate combines organic farming without certification with cellar work carried out under closely controlled temperatures. Picpoul de Pinet provides the saline white, Piquepoul Noir the floral red, Chardonnay another white wine, and the IGP Pays d'Oc Rosé a fresh rosé style.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
The vineyards sit on the southern edge of the Bassin de Thau lagoon, in the southern part of the Pinet appellation. The lagoon is a large inland sea, and cooling sea breezes reach this part of the appellation.
Those maritime winds create conditions for fresh white wine expression. Picpoul de Pinet carries the coastal setting through its saline character and crisp acidity.
In the cellar
Vineyards and cellar
All fruit is destemmed before gentle pneumatic pressing. Destemming removes the stems before pressing, while pneumatic pressing uses controlled air pressure to extract the must gently.
The cellar contains stainless steel vats, a destemmer and a pneumatic press. It is air conditioned and equipped with a temperature control system, allowing fermentation and ageing at precisely controlled temperatures.
Wines to know
The range in view
The range includes Picpoul de Pinet, Piquepoul Noir, Chardonnay and IGP Pays d'Oc Rosé. The bottles move across white, red and rosé styles, with each wine using a different cellar treatment.
Picpoul de Pinet ferments in stainless steel and receives short ageing in bottle before release. Piquepoul Noir undergoes traditional maceration for eight days in enamel lined cement tanks. Chardonnay ferments in stainless steel, with a small portion undergoing light oak fermentation and no malolactic fermentation. The rosé ferments in enamel lined cement tanks with freshness as its emphasis.