Vineyard Le Colombier
Vine Macabeu
Date Planted 1971
Soils Clay, limestone, marne
Oh là là view Chateau d'Aguilar
In Tuchan most of the macabeu vineyards were planted between 1968 and 1979 and it was particularly popular in the neighbouring village of Paziols.
Growers loved it for its high yields, big 'feel good' bunches and made a sweet fortified white Rivesaltes. As it is a naturally high yielding grape and produces tight bunches it can easily rot and so is best off on poor soils with no irrigation to reduce yields.
There are quite a few different ways of spelling, and probably pronouncing macabeu, such as maccabeu, macabeo, maccabeo, maccabeou, makkobeo and it is also known as viura in Spain where it originates from and now is mainly used for the production of cava.
My macabeu vines in Le Colombier produce a very small amount of grapes and make around 3000 bottles per hectare (25hl/ha) and it is, to my knowledge, one of the last remaining macabeu vineyards in Tuchan. Traditionally the grapes would have been taken to the Cooperative in Tuchan to make a sweet wine but when I took the vine over I decided to make a dry wine.
And I'm so glad I did. Macabeu has a bit of a bad reputation for making bland, blousy wines lacking in acidity but thanks to the low yields on my old vines the Jones Macabeu is surprisingly fresh and bright in its youth and takes on a honey, nutty richness as it ages.
It is good with mango, avocado and salmon, fish pie, seafood pasta, scampi, and baked camembert.
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