At A Glance
- Field
- Detail
- Region
- Languedoc, France
- Village
- Near Pézenas
- Vineyard
- 38 hectares
- Main red grapes
- Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Mourvèdre
- Main white grapes
- Roussanne, Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc
- Signature wines
- Le Clos Rosé and Le Clos Rouge
- Defining cellar choice
- Red wines aged in clay amphoras, concrete eggs and stainless steel tanks
The Producer
Arnaud Deville manages Domaine de Nizas near the medieval village of Pézenas in Languedoc. The domaine brings red and white vineyards together under two named wines, Le Clos Rosé and Le Clos Rouge.
Its scale is substantial enough to include several soil types and grape varieties, while the cellar keeps a clear distinction between the red and rosé programs. The estate's current work sits within the broader direction of François Lurton, who has overseen winegrowing and winemaking since 2018.
Place
Domaine de Nizas lies near Pézenas, a medieval village at the heart of Languedoc. The regional setting brings red and white grape varieties into the same southern French landscape, while the local vineyards divide the growing conditions through differences in ground and drainage.
The wines carry a Languedoc setting without coming from a single uniform soil. Clay limestone, Villafranchian pebble soils and basalt each alter the way water and heat move around the vines.
Soil And Site
The vineyard includes clay limestone, Villafranchian soils marked by pebbles, and basalt. Clay limestone can drain excess water while holding some moisture. Pebble soils drain freely and warm quickly in the sun. Basalt is dark volcanic rock, and its heat absorbing quality can influence ripening around the roots.
These differences affect water supply and ground temperature, which can change fruit weight, acidity and tannin as grapes mature. The three soils give the vines different physical conditions within the same domaine.
Story
In 2018, François Lurton took responsibility for winegrowing and winemaking at Domaine de Nizas. Arnaud Deville serves as manager. Lurton's role covers the vines and cellar, while Deville provides a named management role within the domaine.
The change is precise in its scope.
Vineyards And Cellar
The main red varieties are Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Mourvèdre. Roussanne, Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc make up the majority of the white plantings.
Red wines are aged only in non wood vessels, using clay amphoras, concrete eggs and stainless steel tanks. These vessels avoid the flavour of oak and allow the fruit and fermentation character to remain exposed. Clay amphoras and concrete eggs provide different shapes and oxygen conditions from stainless steel, while all three keep oak spice out of the red cellar.
Le Clos Rosé receives a separate treatment. Its grapes are harvested at night, pressed and immediately chilled to 8°C. The must is held at that temperature for at least five days before settling and fermentation. After fermentation, the wine matures on fine lees with frequent resuspension. Lees are spent yeast cells, and keeping them in contact with the wine can add palate volume and a smoother texture.
Le Clos Rouge follows a red wine process. Syrah and Mourvèdre undergo pre fermentation cold maceration, then ferment in inert vats for around five days with several rackings each day. Cold maceration extracts colour and aroma before fermentation, while repeated rackings keep the fermenting wine in contact with the skins.
Wines
The range centers on two named Clos wines. Le Clos Rosé is a rosé blend of Syrah, Grenache Noir and Mourvèdre. Le Clos Rouge is the red wine, with Syrah and Mourvèdre undergoing pre fermentation cold maceration before fermentation in inert vats.
The bottles separate by colour and grape handling. One uses pressing and chilled must for a rosé style. The other uses cold maceration and red fermentation for a wine built around red fruit and spice.
In The Glass
Le Clos Rosé has a floral nose with fresh currant and Morello cherry. The palate is vibrant and crisp, with a rounded feel that keeps the wine from becoming angular.
Le Clos Rouge opens with intense red fruit. Its palate is soft and sensual, with the softness of old Grenache balancing the spice of Syrah. The style is generous and resolutely Mediterranean.
A Bottle To Understand It
Choose Le Clos Rosé. It combines Syrah, Grenache Noir and Mourvèdre in the domaine's rosé, with night harvesting, immediate chilling and maturation on fine lees. The wine puts pressing, temperature control and lees work together in one bottle.
The bottle also stays separate from Le Clos Rouge's cold maceration and red fermentation. It gives the clearest view of how Domaine de Nizas handles red grapes when the aim is a rosé wine.
Anecdote
In 1998, Franco American entrepreneur John Goelet created Domaine de Nizas after arriving in Languedoc with the aim of realizing the quality potential for great wines in the area. Goelet also owned Clos du Val in California and Taltarni Vineyards in Australia. His vineyard holdings already reached across three continents, and the new project added Languedoc to that group. Domaine de Nizas began as Goelet's Languedoc project, founded near Pézenas and given its own vineyards and wines.
Final Word
Domaine de Nizas puts Languedoc red wines into clay amphoras, concrete eggs and stainless steel tanks, with Le Clos Rosé providing a separate expression of Syrah, Grenache Noir and Mourvèdre.
Sources
1. https://www.domainesfrancoislurton.com/en/domaine-de-nizas-en/ 2. https://www.bkwine.com/features/wine-producer-profiles/domaine-de-nizas-languedoc/ 3. https://www.pardelawines.com/nos-proprietes/france/domaine-de-nizas/ 4. https://www.domainesfrancoislurton.com/en/domaine-de-nizas-en/vin-le-clos-rose/ 5. https://www.domainesfrancoislurton.com/en/domaine-de-nizas-en/vin-le-clos-terroir-basalte/