Château de Jau

Like a splash of color, the manor house of Château de Jau sits on the mountain and stands out. Here you can immediately see what this estate is all about: joie de vivre and fun in artistic creation. The wine, the restaurant of the estate, as well as the art exhibition express this.

Château de Jau - Tuscan atmosphere in France

Château de Jau is an estate with a rich history. Founded in the 12th century by Cistercians, they were already cultivating wine here. A magnificent square tower on the grounds of the estate still bears witness to this period. in 1789, the present neoclassical manor house was built, and from then on the estate was also called a château.

The Dauré family acquired the estate in 1974 and began the careful and stylish restoration of the buildings. There is also a 19th century building on the estate, which was used as a silkworm farm. Today, contemporary art is exhibited in it. A restaurant called Grill de Jau is also present on the estate.

Wine, culinary highlights and art at Château de Jau

The Dauré family was already active in viticulture when they acquired the estate in 1974. Viña las Niñas, a winery in Chile, is also owned by the Daurés. Sabine Dauré gave the impetus to create the art exhibition and restaurant at the estate. Nowadays, her son Simon has taken over the management and organization of the vineyards.

The mosaic terroir of Château de Jau

As part of the restoration, the vineyards were also reworked. jau now owns 100 hectares of vines. The highlight of Château de Jau is the highest mountain, which resembles a lunar landscape thanks to its white limestone soils. The grape varieties grown on the estate are:

• Carignan
• Grenache
• Syrah
• Mourvedre

The first two take root in the soil at the top of the mountain. A little lower, Syrah and Mourvedre grow on marl and black shale, the soils are deep and moist. The mountain extends down to the Agly River, and along the way you'll find soils of many different types, so Château de Jau 's terroirs resemble a puzzle. But this, of course, gives the wines a high degree of diversity. The winds from the Mediterranean also provide a pleasant cooling.