The Molinié family have been a fixture of the village of Carnac-Rouffiac since the 14th century and have, as a family, supplied several premier magistrats in the service of the villagers over the two centuries since the French Revolution. Over that time the Moliniés have worked the family vineyards and the current custodian of this heritage is Matthew, who took over in 1998 after studying viticulture and oenology. In 2000 he was joined by his equally qualified wife Virginie in working on the domaine.
Their 26 hectares of Cahors vineyards are planted with the classic grape of the appellation, malbec (90%), and merlot (10%) on both limestone marls and clay and stony iron rich clay over three terraces on which their vineyards thrive. All are farmed with great respect for the soil and a desire to restrict yields so green harvesting and bud stripping is the norm.
Four cuvées are made, each a reflection of a unique terroir within the estate. For example the ‘Maintenant’ is 100% malbec from predominantly clay-limestone soils, fermented at 22°C to retain the wonderful aromas and freshness of the grapes. It spends eight months in vats before bottling and is intended to be drunk relatively young while having the structure to age for four to five years.