Xavier Braujou has been running the family-owned Terrasse d'Elise domain since 1998, although he continued to work as a woodcutter until 2008. Keeping quality as his constant watchword, he has chosen to reduce yields dramatically (to around 20 hl/ha) and to work with old grape varieties on his 20 hectares of vines. In particular, he opts to create some single varietal wines, showcasing his Cinsault, Carignan and Mourvèdre grapes – too often considered to only be grapes for blending. Although not certified, the vineyard is run according to organic and biodynamic principles. Minute attention is paid to the vines, in the winery and the cellar in order to produce the best wines. In the winery, he doesn’t interfere much and doesn’t punch down or pump over; all this contributes to the balance of these perfectly spot-on wines.
Xavier Braujou spent several years as an outsider in Languedoc, before becoming one of the most beloved properties by wine enthusiasts. We can highly recommend all of the estate’s wines and once we start talking about them, we find it hard to stop!

The cuvée Pigeonnier has been vinified in a traditional way, with indigenous yeasts and without much extraction. After 12 months in barrels, the wine is bottled without filtration or sulphur. The Carignan grape unfurls in a delicate register of spicy, fruity and garrigue notes. It can be enjoyed immediately, a carafe being highly recommended, or you can leave in the cellar for up to 10 years.