La Calmette

History of the Domaine de la Calmette

Maya Sallée and Nicolas Fernandez did not come from a lineage of winegrowers. Graduates in agronomy and oenology from Toulouse, passionate about agroecology, they accumulated after their studies a wealth of experiences and travels to the four corners of the world, from New Zealand to Argentina, from Mexico to California, passing through prestigious estates and Alsace, where they encountered great natural and biodynamic winemakers. It is there that their project took shape: to settle in the South-West, but only on land where they were convinced that great wines could be made.

The decisive encounter took place in Cahors, during a meeting with Fabien Jouves, of Mas del Périé, who revived the appellation and accompanies them in their endeavours. They settled in the region in 2015, first taking over one hectare of vines from a retiring winegrower, which they work entirely by hand, and produced their first personal vintage in 2016. The estate gradually expanded to reach around ten hectares. Not having inherited land or a family history is, in their view, an asset: it gives them the freedom to develop their own vision of viticulture and to give free rein to their creative expression.

Terroirs and Vines of the Domaine de la Calmette

The vines are located in the commune of Trespoux-Rassiels, on the heights overlooking Cahors, far from the alluvial soils of the Lot valley. Here, the terroir is that of the calcareous causses, with clay-limestone soils resting on marl and Kimmeridgian bedrock, sometimes covered with a siderolithic red clay rich in iron. Planted on ridge summits situated between 330 and 340 metres in altitude, the plots benefit from very large temperature differences between day and night, a guarantee of freshness and aromatic precision.

From the very beginning, the estate has been managed according to organic farming and biodynamic principles, with the aim of running the whole as a balanced organism rich in biodiversity. Guyot Poussard pruning, shoot removal, compost application, and the use of biodynamic preparations reflect the extreme care devoted to the vines, which are tended by two or three people. Convinced that the geology of Cahors is close to that of Burgundy, Maya and Nicolas also see great potential for white wines in their causse terroirs, which they explore by grafting over certain plots.

Vinifications of the Domaine de la Calmette

In the cellar, the objective is to express the singularity of each terroir through single-vineyard cuvées, vinified and aged separately. Depending on the cuvée, a portion of the grapes is vinified as whole clusters, another portion by direct pressing, and the remainder destemmed for macerations of varying lengths, from a few days for easy-drinking wines to one month for the grand cuvées. Ageing takes place on the lees in stainless steel tanks, concrete tanks, and multi-vintage barrels, for periods ranging from twelve months to two years.

Maya and Nicolas do not claim a dogmatic non-interventionist approach: they craft natural wines that faithfully express the grape varieties and terroirs, while remaining stable over time. The wines are generally unfined and unfiltered, with a very sparing use of sulphur, sometimes in an infinitesimal dose at bottling. The result is a range full of energy and life, with fine tannins and an evident freshness.

The cuvées of the Domaine de la Calmette

Serpent à Plumes: the entry-level cuvée and emblematic easy-drinking wine of the estate, a blend dominated by Malbec complemented by Merlot, drawn from several plots of varying ages. Supple, juicy, and indulgent, with the sensation of biting into small fresh fruits, it nonetheless retains the character of Cahors, with light aromas of violet and ink and a fine tannic edge. An immediate, joyful, and complex wine, to be poured in every glass.

Nictalope: a natural sparkling red wine made using the ancestral method from Malbec, bottled without additions and disgorged after several months. Juicy and lively, with notes of redcurrant and blackberry, it is a playful and thirst-quenching sparkling wine, true to the creative spirit of the estate.

Bois Grand: a grand single-vineyard cuvée from a unique plot of approximately one hectare of old Malbec vines, on a siderolithic red clay rich in iron resting on Kimmeridgian limestone. Mostly destemmed, with a portion of whole clusters and a long maceration of around one month, then aged in barrels, this 100% Malbec offers depth, structure, and great aromatic complexity.

Butte Rouge: another grand cuvée of the estate, from a unique plot of Malbec complemented by a little Merlot, on a terroir of fractured Kimmeridgian limestone. Long macerated and then aged for two years on the lees in multi-vintage barrels, it stands out for its serious and voluptuous texture, its well-structured tannins, its structure, and its beautiful freshness.

Espace Bleu entre les nuages: a confidential single-vineyard cuvée, born from a singular terroir and produced only when Maya and Nicolas consider it fully achieved. Elegant and concentrated, this wine built on freshness reveals a silky and dense texture, with notes of dark fruits, peony, and liquorice.

La cuvée blanche: born from more generous vintages and the grafting over of certain plots, this white cuvée is a terroir blend incorporating notably Noual, Sauvignon, Sylvaner, and Chenin. Precise and taut, it illustrates the estate's conviction in the potential for great whites on the causse terroirs of Cahors.

Le Malbec en pressurage direct: a more recent cuvée made from directly pressed Malbec, aged in stainless steel tanks and old barrels. Delicate and luminous, it offers a fresh and fruity interpretation of the king grape of Cahors, in a resolutely thirst-quenching style.