From vine to cellar: a year on the estate

In Mauléon-d’Armagnac, in the heart of Bas-Armagnac, our estate covers 120 hectares of vines, woodland and meadows. Every season brings its own tasks, and each one matters for what ends up in the glass.

Winter: pruning

While the vines rest, pruning sets the vigour of each plant and prepares the coming harvest. Winter is also distillation season: the Armagnac appellation requires it to be completed by 31 March following the harvest.

Spring and summer: watching over the vines

Bud break, flowering, véraison: month after month, the teams follow each plot, tend the soils and keep a close eye on the health of the grapes. On the tawny sands of Bas-Armagnac, finesse starts in the vineyard.

Autumn: the harvest

A whole season’s work comes down to a few weeks. For the Maison Gascó wines, we look for freshness and aromatic expression; for Armagnac, lively and balanced base wines for distillation.

Distillation: the precision of copper

The Armagnac still, a continuous column still, turns wine into clear eau-de-vie. Temperature, flow and consistency require constant attention: this is where the character of the Blanche and of future Armagnacs is born.

The cellar: letting time work

In French oak casks, the eaux-de-vie gain colour, roundness and complexity. Some go into the Cloud & Clet blends; others are followed cask by cask, in the spirit of the Collection Laoué vintages.

Bottling

Precision continues right through to packaging: bottling, labelling and order preparation. A final step, also a team effort, before we share Gascony with our customers in France and abroad.