Domaine Begude is a family-owned winery of 29 hectares, with fields reaching an altitude of 320 meters, nestled in the foothills of the Pyrenees. Begude is run by the British couple Catherine and James Kinglake, who purchased the winery in 2003. Founded in the 16th century, the winery still makes the most of its unique French terroir. Begude's wines are cool-climate wines with plenty of structure and minerality. Yields are kept extremely low—under 20 hl/ha for individual wines—and the estate is organically farmed. With great respect for nature, all wines are produced entirely organically.
Because only the finest grapes are good enough to bear the Begude label, a strict selection process takes place after hand harvest. Eighty-six percent of the wine undergoes fermentation in carefully selected French oak barrels, while the remaining 14 percent is cold-stored in stainless steel tanks. This cold fermentation gives the wine a more refined aroma. After resting for over a year, the wines are blended and bottled.
The result is impressive. A pure Chardonnay with delicious aromas of apple and pear. A beautiful, full finish with flavors of vanilla, butter, and toasted almond. The wine is delicious on its own, but if you're planning to serve it with a dish, it pairs perfectly with seafood.
