Domaine de Cauhapé

Domaine de Cauhapé, owned by Henri Ramonteu, is nestled in the heart of the Jurançon region, between the Pyrenees and the Atlantic. The Domaine de Cauhapé’s vineyards stretch across 40 hectares of hillsides, generously exposed to the southeast. The climate characteristic of the Southwest region combines the harshness of the mountains with the mildness of the ocean. Combined with the quality of the terroir—a precious blend of clay, silica, and pebbles—this climate allows the region to express the quintessence of Jurançon’s noble grape varieties: Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng.

The Gros Manseng plots are primarily reserved for the production of dry white wines prized for their freshness and rich aromas. With Petit Manseng, harvested in successive passes, great sweet white wines from the Southwest are born—evoking candied fruit, roasted aromas, honey…—the very essence of the passerillage process. When nature works toward this end, we sometimes let it run its course until the first frosts of winter, so that the vines offer their final clusters, etched by frost and time. They are then delicately picked, lovingly vinified, and patiently aged in oak barrels. This is how Cauhapé’s various vintages come to life: “Noblesse du Temps,” “Quintessence du Petit Manseng,” and sometimes even “Folie de Janvier.” These are beautiful examples of the harmony between the terroir’s tradition, masterful modernity, and human sensitivity.