GENERAL INFORMATION
Producer: Famille Bories
Country: France
Region: Languedoc-Roussillon
Founded: 1868
Annual Production (of all wines): 800,000 bottles
Farming: Organic, Vegan
Website: www.chateaulesollieux.com
Click here for the most recent reviews from Jeb Dunnuck writing for eRobertParker.com
Located in Boutenac, just south of the village of Corbières in the Languedoc region, Ollieux Romanis is now one of the largest privately owned wineries in Corbières, spanning some 130 hectares. First planted to vine in the 11th century AD, Ollieux Romanis actually came into existence as a farm producing grains, olives, and mutton in Roman times, some eight centuries earlier. It was the Durban-Latreille family who saw its potential and began planting it to vine. Soon, a priory was formed and the domaine flourished, as tending to the vine was part of the monks’ daily religious ritual, for production of the holy sacrament.
Through the Middle Ages Les Ollieux became part of the Abbey of Fontfroide and then subsequently changed hands many times. Today it is owned and maintained by the Bories family, who settled at Les Ollieux some 200 years ago. Pierre Bories is assisted by winemaker Jean-Pierre Amiques. There are some very interesting and unusual terroirs featured at the domaine, including Mediterranean red clay, sandstone, and puddingstone. Along with the requisite Carignan, Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah, Marsanne, and Roussanne, the Bories also cultivate Sauvignon Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Merlot, and Mourvèdre, the ‘unapproved’ varietals going into their fun entry-level VdP label Capucines.
Les Ollieux is currently working its way to fully organic status having dispensed with herbicides and pesticides in the late 1990s. Instead, Pierre composts with marc, or the leftover solids (sins, seeds, pulps, pits) of his grapes and olives after pressing. 80% of the harvest is done manually (rare for such a large estate) – all grapes for Atal Sia (their high end cuvee) and Corbieres Classique red and white harvested manually.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
"CAPUCINE" BLANC
Appellation: Vin de Pays d’Oc
Varietals: Sauvignon Blanc, Grenache Blanc
Technical sheet
"CAPUCINE" ROSE
Appellation: Vin de Pays d’Oc
Varietals: Cinsault, Grenache Gris
Technical sheet
"CAPUCINE" ROUGE
Appellation: Vin de Pays de l'Aude
Varietals: Carignan, Grenache, Syrah, Merlot
88 pts WA - Capucine Rouge 2011
IN THE PRESS
"France, Languedoc: The Latest and Greatest"
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate, May 2019
"France: Languedoc and Roussillon – Great Wines at Great Prices"
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate, April 2018
"Buying Guide: Best of the Year 2015"
Wine Enthusiast, December 2015
JancisRobinson.com, September 2015