Domaine le roc

Fronton, France

In the small region of Fronton located 50 miles north of Toulouse in Southwest France lies Domaine le Roc. Catherine, Frederic, Jean- Luc Ribes and Pierre Salama have owned and operated the Domaine since 1981. They have been farming organically and sustainably since the beginning with heavy cover crops between the rows and sheep grazing in the vineyards throughout winter.

They work only primarily with the local Negrette variety and are champions of Negrette in the region. Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah also play supporting roles. The vines are planted on mixed gravel, quartz and sand soils which provide heat retention at night while also supplying good drainage.

Vinification is extremely traditional usually going for months in vat and always waiting for natural yeasts to finish fermentations. The wines are chemical free with only tiny additions of S02 at bottling if at all.

 

Le Roc Ambulle

100% Pet Nat rose from Negrette. Juicy and refreshing clocking in at 9% abv... Thankfully it comes in magnum. No sulfur 

 

Rose Ninette

Named for Anne’s grandmother this is 65% Negrette, 30% Syrah, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. The parcels are planted on a mix of sandstone and quartz.  This rose is made by bleeding the grapes intended for red wine production, which results in a more intense red wine and a rich but fruity rose. The wine is fermented with natural yeast and matured on fine less for several months before bottling.

 

La Folle Noire d’Ambat

100% Negrette. Folle Noir means “Crazy Black” and Ambat is the name of the single vineyard this wine is made from. This 3-hectare parcel is particularly rich in oxidized small stones called Rougets There is also a mix of iron-rich sandstone and red quartz, which is unique to Fronton. The grapes are very lightly crushed, destemmed and fermented in small open top vats for 2 weeks at 25C. The wine is held in 20HL old foudre for 10 months before release.

 

La Classique
70% Negrette, 20% Syrah, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. The parcels are planted on a mix of white quartz, grebb and stony marl. The grapes go into vat uncrushed and each variety is vinified separately for 3 weeks. Ferments are done in small concrete vats at 25C. The wines are then blended and matured together in 20HL old foudre for 18 months.

 

 

 

 

RETAIL

  • Boutique Del Vino at Piazza de Nardi

  • Ellement Wine and Spirits

  • Jones & Co. Wine Merchants

  • Kenaston Wine Market

  • Winehouse