Haut Monplaisir - (Archived)

Cathy and Daniel Fournié of Haut-Monplaisir farm 44.5 acres on what the locals call the third terrace of the valley floor. These terraces, or benches, are layered gravel deposits left by the river over the ages. There are three such terraces in the valley; the third is the highest, furthest from the Lot, and the best by virtue of its well-drained soils. Cathy took over the vineyards in 1998 from her father, who had sold the crop to négociants. She and Daniel had a keen interest in making their own wine but realized they needed help. They reached out to Pascal Verhaeghe, the dynamic proprietor of Château du Cèdre, whose vineyards grow on the second terrace. Pascal immediately saw the potential of Haut Monplaisir’s site. Thus was born the partnership between Pascal and Daniel, who together are responsible for the quality wines of Haut Monplaisir. They stopped using herbicides in the vineyards eight years ago and they grow grass between the rows. They plow the soil to enrich the microbial life. The estate has been organic since 2009 and use natural products to control for pests. They are currently in the process of getting their certification. Daniel believes that 90% of the work to make a great wine happens in the vineyards.