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SOUTH-WEST
TERROIRS
JURANCON
DOMAINE NIGRI:
WHERE UNIQUENESS IS AN ASSET
JEAN-LOUIS LACOSTE, THE OWNER OF DOMAINE NIGRI
SINCE 1993
For four generations, since the turn of the 20th
century, the Lacoste family has owned vineyards
and made wine. It has rejuvenated Domaine
Nigri, founded in 1685, transforming its dry and
sweet Jurançon into the epitome of terroir integrity.
After working as a winemaker in Bordeaux,
Jean-Louis Lacoste has managed the 15-hectare
estate located in the lower foothills of the Pyrenees
since 1993. “The work we do with our fruitforward,
precise wines with their balanced, meltin-the-mouth
acidities, but also with the rare,
forgotten Pyrenean grape varieties is recognised”,
he explains.
“Camaralet de Lasseube and Lauzet have only
gained traction over the past fifteen or so years
in Jurançon but they have long been grown on
the estate. We conducted clonal selections nearly
forty years ago with them”. The two varieties were
developed initially with 80% Gros Manseng to
produce dry labels such as Confluence. Since 2009,
they have offered a unique flavour experience in
the sweet Hors-Piste label, a one-of-a-kind blend
of 50% Petit Manseng, 25 % Camalaret and 25%
Lauzet in the appellation. “We purely promote our
specific traits, our grape varieties, our vineyard
sites, our climate and our landscapes with the
Pyrenees as a backdrop”, says Lacoste. “For some
media, Jurançon is a flagship appellation and
I think we are in the upper echelons”.
THE BARREL CELLAR AT DOMAINE NIGRI
APPELLATIONS WITH A FIRM
ROOTING IN TERROIR
The great variety of French appellations is an
incredible asset and source of interest for wine
enthusiasts. Being located close together is not
necessarily a stumbling block. For many years,
the four appellations that are Bergerac, Fronton,
Gaillac and Jurançon suffered from the domination
of their storied neighbour Bordeaux. But
now, they have successfully demonstrated that
AUTUMN 2023 • GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE
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