Domaine
An Exceptional Terroir
Domaine des Homs is a wine estate in the heart of the Languedoc region at the foot of the Montagne Noir, in the Minervois AOC area. In addition to the Mediterranean climate with very hot summers, are have :
– An eastern wind, “Le Marin”
– A northwestern wind, “Le Cers” – very dry
It is located on a sandy-silty-schist plateau. The terroir of the estate does not suffer from hydric stress.
The vineyard includes 15 hectares of AOC Minervois and 7 hectares of Vin de Pays.
Terroir "les Terrasses" du Minervois
Our History
In 1865, Paul De Crozals, our ancestor, discovered this exceptional terroir on this terrace in the Minervois. He fell so deeply in love with it that he acquired the estate and its land.
The gold medal for the “Gravières de Sancastel” cuvée at the Macon agricultural competition in 1974 attests to the exceptional quality of this terroir. When the jury asked him the name of this cuvée which did not have a name at the time he said: “It is the gravel mound without the château” in other words “Gravières de Sancastel” which will become the name of the cuvée until today.
A Team Spirit
Jean-Marc DE CROZALS
and his team put in all their heartfelt efforts
to create the wines of Domaine des Homs.
In order to reach this level of quality, the domain
requires the presence of a large number of staff who
work full time all year round.
Organic Agriculture
ORGANIC SINCE 2006
Our entire vineyard is worked according to the principles of organic agriculture with the aim of creating harmony between the vine, the soil and its direct environment.
Soil maintenance is only done by ploughing: the better rooted the vine, the more strength it develops in natural defences against unpredictable weather. No chemical fertilizers are used, only natural organic manure is applied. The phyto-sanitary protection of the vines is exclusively ensured by two simple applications: copper and sulphur. The average yield on the estate is 39 hectolitres/ha.
Contrary to an insecticide, “hormonal confusion” is used to fight against grape worms. This technique is not toxic and does not leave residue in the fruit. It respects the natural auxiliaries such as typhlodromes and beneficial insects.
Finally, the search for the valorization of our terroir has led us to take into account the influence of lunar cycles. Vine pruning, ploughing, harvesting, wine maturation and bottling dates are only carried out after studying the lunar calendar.
The Vinification
The quality of the grapes at harvest is essential for the quality of the wine to come. At Domaine des Homs, great attention is paid to the maturity of the grapes and to the fruit selection on the vine, in order to harvest only ripe and healthy grapes.
As soon as the grapes arrive in the cellar, the harvest is sorted on a conveyor belt.
For the red wines, after de-stemming and light crushing, the vinification is done in a traditional way, with long macerations, regular pumping over and delestage, in order to obtain rich and concentrated wines.
It is the indigenous yeasts of Homs that start the fermentation of the must; they are a true expression of the terroir. Extraction is tailored to the different grape varieties and plots, and also to the conditions of the vintage. The rhythm of pumping over and punching down of the cap in particular, is adapted daily to each tank. The maceration takes place at around 28°C, regulated at all times.
When the wine has extracted the best from the grapes, the most appropriate moment to “de-cuve” is decided.
The “free-run juice” is transferred to another vat where it will carry out its malolactic fermentation.
The “press juice” is vinified separately, it does not contribute to the Domaine des Homs cuvées.
The Ageing Cellar
In 2018, we invested in a barrel cellar, with controlled temperature and hygrometry. These 400 and 500-litre barrels allow our cuvées to age peacefully in wood and gain in elegance.
