Summary
Château du Cayrou sits at the bottom of one the Lot river's deep bends near the town of Puy l'Évèque. This is storied terroir that has produced some of the most compelling Cahors wines of the past decades.
Until 2009, the estate was owned by the Jouffreau family (of Clos de Gamot). They had bought the place in the 1970s, recognizing the tremendous potential of the site, and replanted 30 hectares of vines. Today the estate is run by Julien Goursaud. The wines are currently being made from 15 hectares of vines from the best parcels of the estate. “It's all about the rocks”: Julien estimates that some of the parcels are simply not gravelly enough to make top level wine.
In 2012 vintage the estate became certified organic the wines are certified, and the wines are made from 100% Cot. As for the winemaking, the philosophy is quite clear: Julien is looking to make wines that are light-framed and elegant. In practice, this means a careful control of the temperature during maceration and fermentation. It also means – and this is probably the most radical thing he does – no wood at all in the winery. The goal is pure, transparent expression of the site.
