Carnac-Rouffiac Cahors producer making Malbec wines from organically farmed parcels vinified separately.
The producer
Château Ponzac is a Cahors estate in Carnac-Rouffiac, run by Matthieu Molinié and Virginie. Matthieu trained in viticulture and oenology before they created the domaine and took it out of the cooperative cellar. The vineyards are farmed organically, with managed yields, leaf thinning and separate parcel vinification. The range includes Maintenant ou Jamais!, Château Ponzac, La Tempéradou, Côt en Dolia and Les Peyrières, combining traditional savoir faire with a modern, fruity style.
Known for
Cahors Malbec from separate parcels
Notable facts
Château Ponzac was founded in 1998 by Matthieu Molinié and Virginie.
The Molinié family has lived in Carnac-Rouffiac since the 14th century.
Organic agriculture began at the estate in 2018.
The vines average 25 years old.
The story
Leaving The Cooperative
Matthieu Molinié and Virginie took Château Ponzac out of the cooperative cellar and began making single plot vintages. They kept the parcels distinct through yield management, leaf thinning and separate vinification. The change produced a range of named Cahors cuvées, including Maintenant ou Jamais!, Château Ponzac, La Tempéradou, Côt en Dolia and Les Peyrières. The vineyards are now farmed organically, while the wines retain traditional culture and savoir faire alongside a modern, fruity style.
From the atlas
Château Ponzac
Château Ponzac in Carnac-Rouffiac makes Cahors wines from Malbec and organically farmed, separately vinified parcels.
At A Glance
Field
Detail
Producer
Château Ponzac
Place
Carnac-Rouffiac, Cahors
People
Matthieu Molinié and Virginie
Main grape
Malbec
Range
Named Cahors cuvées
Defining practice
Organic farming and separate parcel vinification
The Producer
Matthieu Molinié trained in viticulture and oenology before he and Virginie created Château Ponzac in Carnac-Rouffiac. The estate farms organically, manages yields, thins leaves and vinifies each parcel separately. The range is built around Malbec and named Cahors cuvées, with each parcel receiving its own vinification before the wines are bottled.
Place
Carnac-Rouffiac is the Molinié family's home village. Château Ponzac's Cahors wines come from separate plots, and the named cuvées retain those plot distinctions from cellar to label. The estate works across marly limestone, clay limestone, ferruginous clay and a valley of pebbles, with each ground type attached to a separate parcel expression.
Wines
The lineup includes Maintenant ou Jamais!, Château Ponzac, La Tempéradou, Côt en Dolia and Les Peyrières. Each cuvée reflects vinification specific to its parcel, so the range is organised by named plot. Maintenant ou Jamais! comes from marly limestone, Château Ponzac from clay limestone, La Tempéradou from ferruginous clay and Les Peyrières from a valley of pebbles. Château Ponzac 2022 is aged 18 months in foudre, a large oak vessel.
In The Glass
Malbec gives the wines dark berry fruit, with light spice behind it. The house style is balanced and subtle. In the mouth, the wines are medium bodied, fresh and long, with ample, dense, fleshy texture. The finish stays long and fresh, with the dense mouthfeel carrying into the final taste.
Final Word
Château Ponzac is a Carnac-Rouffiac Cahors producer whose Malbec range is farmed organically and vinified parcel by parcel.