3 minute read
Meet the winemakers: Bob & Pat Middleton
"How," I joke with vineyard owner and businessman Bob Middleton, "do you make a small fortune from wine?"
"Start with a large fortune!"
The wine trade is a passion rather than a route to riches Bob, and his wife Pat, have always been passionate about wine.
"Over the years, we have enjoyed discovering new regions," explains Pat, "talking to estate owners, learning their philosophies, seeing how they grow grapes, and watching them make wine."
Tasting wine along the way is an added bonus.
"As someone with a doctorate in chemistry," adds Bob, "I find the transformation of a simple grape into wine fascinating".
During their travels the pair dreamed of owning a vineyard in the south of France. When the chance arose, they grabbed hold with both hands.
"It was a case of now, or never," Pat says of their decision to buy Domaine Les Caizergues in 2017.
Set in the foothills of the Cévennes mountains, the Caizergues vineyards are protected by the limestone cliffs of the Larzac plateau. Sitting at altitudes of 160-190m the vines are subject to large diurnal temperature variations. This helps the grapes to ripen in a balanced way. The warmer daytime temperatures foster sugar development, whilst the cooler nights preserve aromas, freshness and acidity.
The soil is primarily clay limestone, though it varies from pebbles, to sand, with occasional iron rich outcrops. As the French say, the vineyards enjoy nice terroir.
Bob reveals why they chose Languedoc, "the region attracted us because of its burgeoning reputation for quality wine at affordable prices It is also home to many innovating vignerons and winemakers."
Pat continues, "the large number of organic producers chimed with our environmental beliefs too. The weather here makes organic viticulture less demanding than in, say, Bordeaux - where it rains more." The estate has been certified organic since 2021.
The vineyards span AOC Terrasses du Larzac, AOC Languedoc, IGP Pays d'Oc and IGP Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert. There are 14 grape varieties planted, each of which flowers and ripens at slightly different times. This diversity offers flexibility when blending and provides some protection against the vagaries of the weather.
Six years into their adventure Pat admits there is still much to learn, "with the support of our Chef d'Exploitation, we are improving. We are improving the quality of the vines, the soil, the trellising, and replacing nonproductive vines."
In the cellar too, "we have a programme to improve temperature control systems, replace old vats, and to add new barrels."
Bob and Pat's passion and commitment make Domaine Les Caizergues well worth getting to know.
