TERRAMONTI

Terramonti is the name given to the vineyard and winery in the South of France owned and operated by Ray & Eileen Monahan of Sligo, Ireland.

The vineyard consists of 12 hectares of vines planted around Savignargues, a small village located deep in the Lanquedoc region close to Nimes, in one of the most beautiful valleys under the shadow of the Cevennes mountain range. The vines are all from 10 to 40 years old and have been well cared for over the years by the local vigneron who owned them previously.
 
The soil types and climatic conditions result in elegant and complex wines of the region with good fruit content, character and longevity. Different blends are being created with Syrah, Grenache, Carignan, Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Viognier and Chardonnay. The best viticultural practices are followed by full time staff with ongoing upgrading and continual care over a 12 month season. Yields are kept deliberately low to ensure quality grapes and organic methods are now employed on a field by field basis with a view to becoming fully organic over the next 3 to 5 years. This requires further and substantial investment but the results are already beginning to show in the vines and grapes.

WINES

Terramonti produces 6 wines at the moment:

The Syrah/Grenache/Carignan blend is traditional for the region. It will be produced under the “Duche d’Uzes” label and will have AOP (Appellation d’Origin Protegé) status. The remainder of the wines have VDP status. The Terramonti “cave” at Villeseque, a small picturesque village close by, produces altogether close to 20,000 bottles per year.
 
Terramonti wines are very versatile and can be drunk with most foods or enjoyed on their own. They are expressive of their “cepage” or makeup and of their region with a smoothness that allows for easy drinking and enjoyment. The wines have been conceived to last because of their solid structure and balance, improving with time.

Terramonti wines are for sale at Hargadons Wine Shops in Sligo & Cabinteely.

WINEMAKING

Wines are harvested mostly at night to keep berries cold, and they are rapidly transported to the winery where grapes are selected and destemmed. White grapes are gently pressed with a pneumatic press and 2 qualities of grape must are obtained according to pressure. Both musts are cold settled and fermented separately between 14°C and 16°C of temperature. Red grapes are directly conduced to the fermenting tanks where they will “cold soak” from 1 to 3 days before receiving daily “pigeages” to gently extract colour, aromas and structure. Maceration for reds is decided according to grape quality and daily testing of wines.

Each parcel and variety are fermented separately and then matured in stainless steel tanks, concrete tanks or in French oak barrels of which 1/3 are new each year. The cave winery features a state-of-the-art plant and machinery to ensure that the grapes are given every opportunity to produce good wine. All viticultural and vinicultural operations are under the permanent control and supervision of Katrina Muller, a fulltime and fully qualified Oenologist and Agronomist. Each year Ray & Eileen build on the experience gained to date to produce better wines to cater for both Irish and Continental palettes. “We are dedicated to the task and are passionate about producing good quality wines for everyone to enjoy!”