Domaine de Papolle
Bas-Armagnac, France
Historically important, the Domaine de Papolle can trace their roots back to the 17th century as the center of the community and as a producer of fine distilled spirits. Today this unassuming estate takes it place amongst the top tier producers of Armagnac in the Bas-Armagnac region.
The state is spreader 135 hectares, including 55 cultivated in vines. The soil is composed of tawny sand and limestone, typical of Bas-Armagnac. These acidic soils help to produce fruity Armagnacs with fantastic aging potential. All Armagnac bearing the Domaine de Papolle name are made exclusively from the distillation of wines made on the estate and have been produced following the ancestral methods of the region. The Armagnacs are distilled once in a continuous 'alembic' still, and then aged only in Gascony sourced oak barrels in our cellar.
Typically, no more than 400 Liter barrels are produced each year. A quantity somewhat less than commercial producers loose to evaporation in the barrel each year. Age designated production is bottled at cask strength to maintain the character of the base spirit and allow the rich character of the Armagnac show through.
Tasting through the range of Armagnacs produced is an ethereal experience that allows one to see the evolution of the spirit from fruit driven to one whose floral components that emerge after a few years of wood, only in later stages to be eclipsed by the spice of the wood in harmony with the alcohol, the fruity and floral notes. The cellar currently holds vintage selections from 1990 dating back to 1973 bottled to order on special request. The 1973, 1975, 1987, 1990 are currently being inventoried in the USA by our exclusive importer Columbus Wine and Spirits.
Our Winemakers
Frederic is the master blender that runs the vineyards and distills the spirits. His father, Bernard, was originally in the construction industry, which provided him the means to purchase the estate. Their viticultural approach is based on the philosophy that less is more. "We want the grapes to speak for themselves, and we allow this by interfering as little as possible while still maintaining the health of our vines. By doing this we hope to create a natural, pure product that expresses the terroir of our region."