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Château Haut-Monplaisir, located in the heart of the Cahors appellation, is owned by the Fournié family. Located in Lacapelle-Cabanac, in the Lot region, the estate is home to the region’s master grape variety, Malbec. This enables the Fournié family to offer their enthusiasts the very best of their terroir through intense wines.
A key word: transmission
Château Haut-Monplaisir was originally the brainchild of Cathy and Daniel Fournié, who took over the estate in 1998. The couple’s primary ambition was to create a genuine range of wines that would showcase their terroir and its richness. They therefore devoted their time to studying their vineyards and soils, accompanied by renowned professionals in the region such as Pascal and Jean-Marc Verhaeghe. Little by little, they forged a reputation for themselves and built up their own marketing network, enabling as many people as possible to discover the fruits of their labor. Since 2015, they have been supported by their daughter Mathilde, who has joined them in managing the estate. With a background in business and marketing, she lends a hand to her parents in these matters, allowing her to combine business with pleasure by learning the winemaking trade.
A philosophy: organic farming
The Château Haut-Monplaisir estate covers 30 hectares of vines cultivated organically since 2012. Indeed, as soon as the Fournié family arrived on the property, they set in motion the conversion process in order to produce wines that best reflect their terroir and that are the result of environmentally-friendly agriculture. At the heart of their concerns: working the soil, with an emphasis on natural weed control. The clay-silica soils are the source of the fine tannins found in the house wines. The pebble blanket allows the heat stored during the day to be returned to the vines, considerably extending their vegetative cycle. Indeed, the Cahors terroir is bursting with sunshine and benefits from high summer temperatures. This climate is tempered throughout the year by the region’s Mediterranean and fluvial influences, notably the proximity of the River Lot. This is how the region’s king grape variety, Malbec, comes into its own.
Wines as close to their terroir as possible
Château Haut-Monplaisir vinifies its wines in all three colors. Several cuvées make up the house’s range of red wines, all made with a majority of the Malbec grape, a key component of the Cahors appellation. The house’s flagship cuvée, L’Envie, is characterized by a fine, dense tannic structure. This wine stands out for its softness and aromatic richness, revealing the multiple facets of the estate. The Pur Plaisir and Prestige cuvées follow in his footsteps. The Fournié family also produces white wines, thanks to their chardonnay, vermentino, viognier and far-from-the-eye vines. Sometimes sweet, sometimes dry, Château Haut-Monplais will delight every taste bud. Finally, Caberent Franc and Merlot are used to make the house cuvée rosée, a perfect match for summer aperitifs.
Photos : Château Haut Monplaisir
