Chateau de Pennautier

Chateau de Pennautier is located just 5Km from the medieval city of Carcassonne.and sits in the relatively new appellation of Cabardès. The current owners, Nicolas and Miren de Lorgeril, are tenth generation winemakers and took over the estate in 1987. They currently manage 102 hectares producing AOC Cabardès and 80 hectares producing vin de pays. The family also have estates in other Languedoc appelations. Vineyards are largely on the slopes of the nearby Black Mountains between 230-360m of elevation. Vineyards are planted to Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Chardonnay, Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah.

Cabardès is a relatively new appellation having been created in 1999 for the production of red and rosé wines. It is the only appellation in France that allows the blending of grapes from Mediterranean climates, such as Grenache and Syrah, with grapes from Atlantic climates, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Estates must grow 50% of its grapes from each region and wines must be a blend of both.

Chateau de Pennautier is well geared up for visitors. There is a wine trail trough the property, daily cellar tours, wine tasting in the boutique and an excellent restaurant. Tours take place twice a day in the summer months but are very popular and should therefore be booked in advance. The restaurant, La Table du Chateau, is open for lunch and dinner every day in July and August but has restricted opening out of the main holiday months. It is therefore well worth checking opening hours on their website.

Wine tasting is available in the boutique between 10.00 -19.00 Monday to Saturday and 10.00 – 17.00 on a Sunday.

La Rosée d’été. Vin de Pays d’Oc. 2018. Pale sale,on pink in appearance. Red fruits with floral notes. The palate is crisp and fresh with a finish of soft red fruits.

Chateau de Pennautier Rosé. Cabardès. 2018. A blend of Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cinsault. Nice weight and balance with strawberry, cranberry and blackcurrant fruits.

Petit Marquis de Pennautier. Vin de Pays d’Oc. 2018. A blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Chardonnay Fermented in stainless steel. Nose is aromatic and peachy. Dry and crisp with a lovely lime citrus finish.

Marquis de Pennautier. Terroir d’Altitude Chardonnay. 2015. Vin de Pays d’Oc. Fermented in oak for 3 weeks then aged in oak for 10 months. The nose is delightful, tropical, stone fruit, honey and vanilla. Nicely balanced with lovely fresh acidity backed with a buttery texture. Very nice indeed.

Chateau de Pennautier. Terroir d’Altitude. Cabardès. 2014. A blend of Syrah, Merlot, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Aged for one year in second season oak. Nose is very Bordeaux blend in nature with a savoury core. The palate is medium bodied with nice freshness. Very drinkable.

L’Esprit de Pennautier. Cabardès. 2015. A blend of 50% Merlot, 40% Syrah and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. A good depth of colour showing hints of maturity at the rim. Plummy black fruit, tobacco with a hint of mint. Palate is round, rich and complex. Tannins are softening. Nicely balanced. Very good.

Carcassonne Drive

Carcassonne is a wonderful place to visit but it does get very busy. Combining a visit to the city with a drive in the surrounding countryside is a good way to get away from the crowds and get a feel for the local area. If you are short on time this trip can could be done in half a day if you wanted to combine it with a morning visit to La Cité or you can take your time and explore a little more of some of the towns and villages en route.

Leave Carcassone on the D6113 and head to the village of Pennautier. As you enter you will see Chateau Pennautier which has buildings on either side of the road. To the left is the tasting room and restaurant. Here you can taste a selection of the property’s recent vintages and purchase the wine. Next door is the restaurant which is a lovely place for lunch. They also do tours of the winery but they require prebooking, especially in the summer months.

Head back to the D6113 and then take the D629 to Montolieu, a hill town which is known for the large number of secondhand bookshops, fifteen or so at the last count! It is very a haven for writers and artists and well worth a visit. The road through the town is narrow and steep in places but don’t let that put you off. its well worth the effort.

From Montolieu carry on on the D629 to Saissac. Here you will find superb views of the Vernassonne Gorge and a ruined Cathar Castle which can date its origins back to the eleventh century although the ruins on view date from the sixteenth.

Leave Saissac on the D103 for a very pleasant drive to St Papoul. The Abbey of St Papoul is a Benedictine abbey which was first appears in documents in 817. The cloister here was built in the early part of the fourteenth century, it is a lovely, quiet place to spend a few moments.

Heading back onto the D103 will bring you to the town of Castelnaudary which is home to the French Foreign Legion and lays claim to be the World Capital of Cassoulet. You can certainly eat a lot of cassoulet here if you so choose. Castelnaudary is also on the Canal du Midi and the banks of the canal are great for walking and cycling. Just outside the town is the village of Mas Saintes Puelles where you can pick up signs to Poterie NOT Frères which occupies a charming location on the bank of the canal next to a stone bridge crossing. This is where you can see the traditional vessel for cooking cassoulet being made and you can even buy one as a souvenir to take home.

From Castelnaudary you can return to Carcassonne either by the D6113 or take the much faster A61 autoroute.

Carcassonne La Cité

Carcassonne is in the Languedoc region of south west France and is about an hours drive from the city of Toulouse. It is in reality two towns that sit side by side. La Cité is a medieval fortification that once defended the old border between France and Spain. Located on a hill it gives commanding views of the surrounding countryside. At the foot of the hill sits the ‘new town’ but which is itself also pretty old, dating back to the thirteenth century.

La Cité can trace its origins back over two thousand years when it was a defensive position against the Roman Empire. Over the following centuries it was occupied by many different tribes. It was the principal stronghold of the Cathar religion in the late twelfth century. Followers were seen as challenging the authority of the powerful Catholic Church and the fortress was besieged by the Papal crusaders in the early part of the thirteenth century, sent by Rome to bring the Cathars back into line.

The city’s fortunes were to diminish by the end of the seventeenth century and it began to fall into disrepair and eventually ruin. Eventually the decision was made in the nineteenth century that is should be demolished. Much to the surprise of the authorities there was a ground swell of protest which led to reversal of the decision and the drawing up of plans to renovate the site. The restoration took over 50 years and resulted in the fortifications we can see today. This is how the citadel would have looked in the thirteenth century.

In 1997 it was awarded UNESCO World Heritage Status and has become France’s second most popular tourist attraction (after the Eiffel Tour), attracting over three million visitors a year, that’s an average of over eight thousand a day! Not surprisingly it is well geared up for tourists and there are some souvenir shops that are perhaps best avoided but there are also some others which make a real effort to show the best that the city and region has to offer.

Things to do in La Cité

  • Visit Chateau Comtal. The chateau dates from the twelfth century and is well worth the 9 Euro entrance fee. Indeed once you have paid you can leave and return later in the same day if you want to take a break for refreshments. Audio tours and guided tours are available.
  • Walk the Ramparts. For superb views of the city and the surrounding countryside you can’t beat a walk on the ramparts. Access is included with your ticket to the Chateau. It is a lovely walk but quite strenuous in places with steps up and down.
  • Walk the Lices. La Cité is surrounded by a double wall, the inner wall being up to a thousand years older than the outer. In earlier times the space between had dwellings built against the inner wall but today all that remains is a wide grassy area between the two walls and that makes an excellent place for a gentle stroll.
  • Basilique St-Nazaire. Built on the site of a former fifth century church this gothic style building dates back to the twelfth century. It has some very nice stained glass windows.
  • Lady Carkass Statue. Wife of a Saracen king and the one that gave the city its name. Located ext to the Porte Narbonnaise it is not the original statue but is still pretty impressive.
  • Wander the streets. The streets of La Cité are perfect for wandering around. The Place Marcou is jam packed with cafés but there are also many others and some nice restaurants dotted across the city. There are also some really nice shops.

Most people visit either by car or on a coach tour. The best time to arrive is early, before the crowds, if you prefer a slightly quieter experience. There is plenty of parking adjacent to the Porte Narbonnaise and a further car park just a short walk away. Both are pay on exit and the machines take card payments.

Carcassone railway station is in the new town and is served by TGV services from Toulouse, Lyon and Barcelona as well as intercity services from Bordeaux, Montpellier and Marseille. There are also local services from Narbonne and Limoux.