Portraits of winemakers

JÉRÔME PY, DOMAINE DU CAUSSE NOIR: A WINEGROWER IN THE FAUGÈRES APPELLATION

In Search of the Rare Gem

A southern accent, a smiling voice, a touch of humor… Languedocien Jérôme Py is much like his native region: warm and welcoming. In 2010, with several business ventures under his belt, Jérôme felt the urge and need to reconnect with wine, a family tradition. He set out to find a vineyard to acquire. "I traveled through the vineyards of Languedoc and Roussillon hoping to find the rare gem, but without a real favorite. Until I discovered a small vineyard in the Faugères appellation in early 2011. I bought 4.5 hectares of vines, and that's how my adventure at Domaine du Causse Noir began. The setting is ideal: I have the sea in front of me, the city of Sète on the horizon, and my vines are surrounded by woods."

"Wines of Pleasure Without Pretense, Except Perhaps to Be Great Wines!"

Since his first vintage, which emerged in 2012, Jérôme has made it a point to produce his wine "artisanal style," notably by hand-harvesting and minimizing the use of pesticides or sulfites. "I want to produce pleasure wines that don’t have pretensions, except perhaps to be great wines!" jokes the winemaker. At Domaine du Causse Noir, Jérôme's touch is evident everywhere: in the very personal way he makes his wine, and also in the names of his bottles. Each cuvée has its own story: the "Py" cuvée, the first wine made at Domaine du Causse Noir, references his surname and the famous Greek number; the "Mathias" cuvée, named in honor of his son; and the "Caius" cuvée, named after his dog!

A Significant Encounter with Pierre Soulages

When Jérôme is not in his cellar or vineyards, he dedicates time to his other passion: contemporary art. This interest in art was sparked by a meeting with painter Pierre Soulages. "My interactions with the artist were truly impactful, and I continue to closely follow painting, which I enjoy integrating into my bottle labels. If you look closely at the label of the Py cuvée, you'll see it is divided into three parts: the painted logo, the cuvée name in large letters, and other information written in smaller print."

New Cuvée at Domaine du Causse Noir

A new cuvée will soon be introduced at Domaine du Causse Noir: the "Synthèse" cuvée, sponsored by a group of oenology students. "I hosted them at the estate for a visit and let them taste the 'Synthèse' cuvée in advance, which they found very interesting. I then invited them to participate in designing the label. They made several proposals. I chose one, and worked on it with my graphic designer," Jérôme explains. While the bottling of "Synthèse" will take place in a few weeks, it will be several years before it hits the market. Indeed, this cuvée, which Jérôme presents as the estate’s "premium" wine, is intended to age in the cellar for two years.