Pascal Cuisset & Château des Eyssards
BERGERAC, FRANCE
Pascal’s wines were on our second container from France in 2011, and we have ordered a pallet a year since. Here’s the story of how we connected almost 10 years ago:
“I actually met Pascal Cuisset (pictured above in the middle), owner/winemaker of Château des Eyssards, in Seattle at a wine show put on by the French Wine Commission in the spring of 2011. Julie and I entered the Columbia Tower Club on a beautiful, sunny day, and this hulk of a guy was standing at a corner table, proud as he could be, with a friendly smile & simultaneously the feeling that he couldn’t give a rip if you came to his table or not. I couldn’t resist. I walked right over, greeted him and tasted his lineup. The wines were fantastic. With Pascal, there was no bs. He watched me taste the wines; he knew I liked them; he said to me something along the lines of: ‘You taste the wines and you like them or you don’t. You like them, which is great. If you don’t, that’s fine too.’ Salt of the earth. Works hard making his wine. Plays hard as tubist with his local brass band. Loves his life. Are wines from Bergerac the easiest to sell? No. But they are delicious, better priced than their neighbors from Bordeaux, and these wines carry the essence of the man who makes them which is a lot of fun. The Rouge is a great alternative to the pricier reds to the west. The Blanc is one of the craziest whites in our book with deep, rich, luscious fruit. It flew when it first arrived. Thankfully more will be arriving shortly. —Jens, co-owner, J. Strecker Selections”
MORE ON BERGERAC:
The AOC Bergerac lies around the village of the same name along the north bank of the Dordogne River to the east of Bordeaux. Like Bordeaux, grape cultivation came with the Romans and wine production and export (due to its easy location on the river) has been ongoing since the 1200’s. The climate is considered “oceanic”, meaning relatively stable temperatures throughout the year without extremes in hot and cold, but Bergerac does tend to be slightly warmer than Bordeaux. Today about 15% of Bergerac wines are sold outside of France, primarily to English, Belgium, Netherlands & Germany. So consider yourself lucky, Seattleites, to have these wonderful wines available to you in your market!
With a long and competitive history with Bordeaux, Bergerac has developed a reputation for being flexible and innovative as opposed to steeped in tradition (and a little stuffy). The winemakers in the area are known for being collaborative and taking pride in the region’s success as well as their own. Bergerac is also known for more than just wine. Apparently there’s a castle around every bend in the road, so a drive through Bergerac wine country sounds like an amazing historical tour. As well, their culinary traditions are noteworthy, producing some of France’s top fois gras, black truffles & walnuts.
Resource articles on Bergerac: The ABCs of Appellation Bergerac Contrôlée & Wikipedia
MORE ON THE PRODUCER:
A 40-hectare estate located outside of the village of Monestier (about half an hour southwest of Bergerac), Château des Eyssards is owned and operated by the Cuisset family. Using the hillsides of Saussignac, Château des Eyssards grows Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Muscadelle, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc & Merlot grapes. Pascal Cuisset (pictured above) runs the estate, and his passion for wine combined with his skills as a winemaker help to create the wonderful, complex wines that they produce.
And, the next generation is stepping in! His daughter, Flavie (pictured above with her dad), did her apprenticeship in viticulture & oenology from 2012 to 2014, working extensively in the vineyards and the cellar during this period. In 2015 she bought into the estate, purchasing 5 hectares of vines under her name in association with Château des Eyssards. “It’s a family business,” she says. She works a lot with her father, saying that are in agreement on how to develop the estate. (Photo: bottom left corner above are her new plantings.)
When not making wine, Pascal is active in his local village’s festival band — Vino Vertias Banda — in which he plays the tuba. (Flavie plays the trumpet!!) I’ve been friends with Pascal on FB since we first met him, and I can tell you a little about him from that: He’s really into his local French cuisine. He’s into bullfighting. He’s into music, especially live music with horns with an emphasis on ska and jazzy latin brass bands. And he’s into his dogs, a yellow lab & a basset hound.
And as a fun little side note, when we were in the depths of the COVID-19 shutdown and bored out of our minds, we gave Pascal the 10 album challenge — choose ten albums that have significantly influenced your musical taste. One album per day for ten consecutive days. No explanations, no comments, just the album cover. Here’s what he posted:
MORE ON THE WINES:
We are pleased to import two outstanding wines from Château des Eyssards. We are currently on our 8th pallet from them in 9 years. Vintage after vintage they are just killer (as Jens would say)!
Château des Eyssards
Cuvée Prestige Bergerac Sec
Reg $19.99 | INSIDER $18.99 | Mixed Case $15.19
A blend of 40% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Sémillon, 30% Muscadelle. The wine is aged in barrels on lees and stirred every 10 days for 6 to 8 months. Bright & deep golden straw yellow tone. A beautiful nose of jasmine flowers & ripe stone fruits. A full, lush body, richer in style. The Muscadelle, difficult to cultivate, creates a deep layer of flavor that adds impressive complexity & character to the traditional Bordeaux Blanc blend of Sauvignon Blanc & Sémillon.
Chateau des Eyssards Bergerac Rouge Cuvée Prestige
Reg $19.99 | Mixed Case $15.99
A blend of 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc. 12 months in French oak barrels. Bright red ruby hue. Fragrant red berry fruits with deeper notes of plum & black cherry and a hint of cedar & dried herbs. Well-balanced, with firm tannins on its velvety body. Flavors of bright raspberry & red cherry with a touch of black pepper spice last through the long smooth finish.
Hope you get a chance to try these wines. They are only to be recommended, some of my favorites in the shop!
Cheers,
Julie, co-owner
Portalis Wines