Languedoc

Domaine La Madura, which means ‘ripe’ in the occitan dialect, is located on the northern outskirts of the village of Saint Chinian. The greatest assets of this estate are the diversity of its soils, grape varieties, altitude, and microclimates.

In 1998, Cyril and Nadia Bourgne fell in love with 12.5 hectares of plots of vines dotted amongst the garrigue, on a patchwork of soils ranging from schist to clay-limestone and sandstone, and with a variation in altitudes, from 150 to 300 metres.

With his degree in biochemistry, a Master in ampelography (classification of cultivated varieties of grape), and subsequently in winemaking, Cyril, a native of the region of Saint Chinian, worked at Château Lynch Bages, followed by eight years as the oenologist at Château Fieuzal in Pessac Léognan. His strong experience helped him with all the prerequisite skills for realising his ambition of owning a winery. Nadia had left her career in the tourism business in Paris to work with Cyril. 

It was a major decision for the dynamic couple to move to the South of France and, after restructuring their vineyards over the years, they have worked wonders. Domaine la Madura is now one of the most renowned estates in the appellation.

A new page turned in 2005 with the construction of a minimalist 750 square-meters winery, that reflects their approach with nature, their respect for the landscape, and above all, their close bond to the region. It was a dream come true. With the aim of preserving both the quality and diversity of the various soils, no chemical fertilisers are used in their vineyards.

Vineyard practices are environmentally friendly, and in the pristine cellar, winemaking is precise yet gentle. Some cuvées are given wood ageing in the state-of-the-art barrel cellar. The Bourgnes are crafting some seriously interesting, modern, and complex wines, well balanced with their very own identity.

Profile © Françoise and Seán Gilley

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