Jurancon Marie Kattalin Domaine de Souch 2021

Jurancon Marie Kattalin Domaine de Souch, Biodynamic, Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng, elegant and absolutely delicious. Made using the local varieties of Petit and Gros Manseng and some Courbu.  The sweet wines of Yvonne distinguish themselves with the intensity of the acid backbone.  In fact they can be drunk with almost any course savoury or sweet.  The wines never cloy at all so most are produced in a standard 75 cl bottle because at 12% abv, you can very easily finish off a bottle in one sitting. If you like dessert wine, I urge you to invest in a bottle of Yvonne’s wine.  Often we site wine as unique.  Souch wine genuinely is, both in the story that paved the way to their production and also in their sheer sublime quality.  Jurancon Marie Kattalin is named after Yvonne’s Grand Daughter.  It is aged in old oak barrels given to Yvonne by the late great, Didier Dageneau.  It is has more intensity but still that freshness is breath taking.

The story of Yonne Hegoburu - Domaine De Souch is both sad and inspiring.

In the 1970s Yvonne and Rene Hegoburu found the ruins of an old house at the top of the hill of Laroin.  They decided to renovate it in order to retire there.  Later, they moved there with the ambition of planting a few hectares of vineyards in the Jurançon appellation. Tragically René died prematurely very soon after they moved in and before they could realise their dream. Yvonne decided to preserve her husbands memory by continuing the plan to start a winery and Domaine De Souch was born.  30 years later, her stunning sweet wines grace the tables of almost every Michelin star restaurant in Europe.

The domaine is 7 hectares of south facing slopes with vines of Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng.  The vines are now 35 years old and have been farmed naturally from the start.  This is an amazing place, full of life and vitality and run with as little impact on nature as is possible.

The soils are red clay which capture the heat of the day in summertime and release it during the evening.  This makes for riper Manseng grapes and much better for sweet wine production.

Yvonne was something of a pioneer and discovered biodynamics in the 1990s and Domaine De Souch was certified biodynamic in 1994.  Despite being in her 90s, until very recently she had been very much involved in the running of her Jurancon estate.  This diminutive character is now finally taking a back seat.  She lets her children run things but the wines continue to go from strength to strength.