L'Aurage

History of Domaine de l'Aurage

Formerly known as Château Cadet, the estate was acquired in 2007 by Caroline and Louis Mitjavile, nicknamed Loulou, and renamed Domaine de l'Aurage. Louis Mitjavile is the son of François Mitjavile, a visionary winemaker at the helm of Château Le Tertre Rôteboeuf in Saint-Émilion, as well as Roc de Cambes and Domaine de Cambes in the Côtes de Bourg. It was alongside him that Louis learned the craft before pursuing his own interpretations of the terroir.

With Domaine de l'Aurage, Caroline and Louis Mitjavile extend the family legacy while asserting their own vision. True to the Mitjavile DNA — defined by constant rigour and an immediately recognisable style — the couple reveals here the full potential of the Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux appellation, long overshadowed by its more celebrated neighbours. Over the vintages, the estate has established itself as a rare and precious address on the Right Bank, whose wines compete without hesitation with the great names of Saint-Émilion.

Terroirs and Vineyards of Domaine de l'Aurage

The vineyard of Domaine de l'Aurage stretches over around twenty hectares in a single block on the Côte de Castillon. This clay-limestone terroir constitutes the geographical and geological extension of the nearby Saint-Émilion hillsides, a guarantee of great quality. This kinship of soils, combined with meticulous work in the vineyard, explains the depth and finesse of the estate's wines.

The grape variety composition gives pride of place to Merlot, Louis Mitjavile's grape of predilection, complemented by a decreasing proportion of Cabernet Franc, the long-term objective being to plant the vineyard almost entirely in Merlot. Planted at high density, the vineyard is managed with great rigour so that the grapes reach full maturity. True to the family philosophy, the estate favours grapes harvested at perfect, even surprising, maturity.

Winemaking at Domaine de l'Aurage

Winemaking at Domaine de l'Aurage takes place in traditional concrete vats. The grapes, harvested by hand and picked very ripe, undergo a gentle extraction that respects the integrity of the fruit. This approach yields a fine and silky tannin grain, the hallmark of the Mitjavile family's wines.

The ageing, lengthy, extends for approximately eighteen months in barrels, with a high proportion of new oak, at a relatively elevated temperature. The wine draws from this a wood influence delicately integrated and that roasted note characteristic of the Mitjavile style. Whatever the profile of the vintage, the result is a wine of remarkable intensity, deep and sincere, built for ageing.

The Cuvées of Domaine de l'Aurage

L'Aurage (Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux, red) is the estate's flagship cuvée, drawn from a parcel selection and an assemblage dominated by Merlot (approximately 85%) complemented by Cabernet Franc. Deep and silky, it unfolds a bouquet of great richness, with aromas of dark fruits, cherry, mocha, leather and spice, wrapped in elegant oak and that roasted signature so dear to the Mitjavile family. The palate is broad and suave, combining concentration, balance and fineness of tannins. A true wine for ageing, it reveals itself fully after several years and pairs ideally with lamb, game, duck and roasted meats.

Le Versant (Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux, red), formerly Château Cadet, is the estate's more immediately approachable cuvée. Elegant and expressive, it reveals notes of red and dark fruits, smoke and tobacco, underpinned by refined oak and supple tannins. Indulgent and harmonious, it offers an enticing entry point into the world of Domaine de l'Aurage.

The estate also offers Le Pic du Versant, another parcel-based interpretation of the Castillon terroir, in the same spirit of precision and indulgence that is characteristic of Caroline and Louis Mitjavile.