Châteaumeillant
Grower
Profiles
Domaine
le Pavillon
José-Marc
da Costa was born into a family of modest means in Portugal in 1946. His
father made a little wine for the family table. He came to Paris to study
and has an engineering degree. He met his wife, Marie-Thérèse, an ex
nurse when in hospital. She comes from an old Breton farming family.
They had often visited the Creuze in the early 1990s to see
friends and had fallen for the region's charms. Da Costa, who had
by now been in Paris for 27 years working for both Bouygues, the French
industrial group, and the Compagnie Générale des Eaux, decided to invest
in a maison secondaire and
bought an abandoned small holding on the main street in Châteaumeillant
that came with four hectares of land. After acquiring some planting
rights, they moved here permanently in 1995. After a year’s sabbatical
spent learning viticulture in Bordeaux, the pair converted the old stone
cow shed to a modern, purpose built cellar.
Wine Overview:
The four hectares of land that came with the property were planted
with Pinot Noir and Gamay in the mid 1990s; two hectares of each. There
are three wines produced here; a little gris,
which is made from both varieties, a somewhat overcooked 100% Pinot
Noir that is aged in new oak, and a delicious, stainless steel fermented
and aged wine that forms the mainstay of their range.
Their sales are mostly from the cellar door, Madame da
Costa stating that they enjoy plenty of passing trade, being situated on
the main road and in a town that is celebrated as one of the most
important cross roads in France. Their most important client, however, is
‘le Paradis’ the local restaurant, which is just a few doors along the
road.
These are well made wines and worth searching out.
2004 Châteaumeillant
Made with 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Gamay. Mid depth appearance and shows
some evolution and maturity. Savoury and organic nose with some
complexity. Good structure and freshness to the palate with soft tannins
and good length. Delicate, with very good Pinot expression. Drinking mow,
but could hold another few years. (01/09)
Domaine Le Pavillon
31 Avenue Antoine Meillet
Châteaumeillant
T/F + 33 2 48 61 43 12
lepavillon18@aol.com