The beautiful domain of Château Capion is nestled in the Gassac valley between the villages of Gignac and Aniane. Very close by is the medieval village of Saint Guilhem Le Desert. The discovery of old manuscripts confirms Château Capion dates back to the 16th century. We know that in 1873 the property was owned by a Monsieur Louis Keittinger. During this period Monsieur Keittinger built "massive cellars" and erected "outbuildings". In 1888 Cardinal Monseigneur du Cabrieres, an old friend of Keittinger, consecrated the adjoining chapel, which is still used by the Buhrer family today.

The Buhrer family from Switzerland acquired the property in 1996. Over the following ten years many of the vines were replanted and new vineyards established. The cellar was extended and the old cellar renovation and modernized with the installation of state-of-the-art wine making facilities and equipment. The Château itself was completely renovated and restored to its former glory. Much loved and cared for, the Château is the private residence of the Buhrer family.

The domain now covers 186 acres of which over 45 hectares is vineyard. Capion grows Chardonnay, Rousanne and Viognier. More than 80% of the production is ultra-premium red wine crafted from traditional Languedoc varietals - Grenache, Syrah, Mouvedre and Cinsault. The Bordeaux varietals planted at Capion include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The vineyards are bordered by the Gassac river and natural forest know locally as the "garrigue".

The Buhrers bring their own unique style to Capion which reflects their respect for tradition, interest in history, philosophy and horticulture. The extensive restoration was completed with local materials and in-keeping with the local architecture. Interesting features have been added including the "le colombier" (dovecot) which is now the emblem for Château Capion. Throughout history, the snow white dove has symbolized love, peace, hope and the presence of the Holy Spirit - so very much in keeping with what Château Capion and our wines represent.

As mentioned earlier, the farm is 186 acres in size, and the greater part of the 111 acres of vineyards were planted between 1981 and 1983. The deep soils consist essentially of limestone scree from glacial folds and are well drained and ideal for viticulture. The vineyards enjoy a very advantageous mesoclimate with their northwest aspect protecting them from an excessive amount of direct sunlight. They are further bordered by the Gassac River and are surrounded by high forests.

Currently some 119 acres are planted to vines. Interestingly, when phylloxera destroyed virtually every vine in France in the late 1800’s, resistant American rootstocks were grafted onto the remaining Château Capion cuttings. Each of the current 11 varietals grown has been carefully located on particular locations most suited to them. This choice allows winemaker, Nico van der Merwe, exceptional latitude in the winemaking process. The planting density is 1,500 vines per acre, with a yield of 1.5-3.5 tons. All the vineyards are trellised and pruned to the Guyot style. No irrigation is applied and the rainfall varies from 400mm to 1000mm per annum – occurring mainly in late autumn.
Having naturally high calcium content, the soils require virtually no fertilizer. Only eco-friendly viticulture practices are used – natural manure (guano) is the only supplement – if required. Prescribed vineyard practices ensure that no natural yeast cultures are destroyed, as these are essential for the vinification of the traditional blends.

The yield is of 1.6-3.2 tons per acre. No irrigation is used. The rainfall which occurs in late autumn caries from 400 mm to 800 mm per year. This quest for perfection and hard work got the very best out of the soils and gave the wines their unique character. The soil is ploughed three or four times a year, up until the end of June or the beginning of July; this traditional plowing (unlike the use of herbicides or letting the land lie fallow) also helps to alleviate the harmful effects of a drought.

The only agrochemicals that are used are Bordeaux mixture (copper) and sulphur, which optimize the effects of the yeast fungi during fermentation; in fact, the natural yeasts in the berries could be affected by the use of artificial products.

Organic Estate
Winemaker: Michel Tardieu