Chateau Rives-Blanques

Jan & Caryl Panman lived and worked in over a dozen countries in all corners of the world before Limoux’s stunning wines stopped them in their tracks.

Chateau Rives-Blanques is a 22 ha family-run estate near Limoux, surrounded by woodland in the foothills of the Pyrenees. Seriously committed to environmentally sustainable wine growing, we  make our wines and manage our lands with ecological integrity, full of respect for nature and for this unique terroir that is our home.

The facilities include 400 m² of temperature-controlled, insulated cellar space, newly updated harvesting equipment, a state-of-the-art Vaselin-Bucher pneumatic press, and stainless steel tanks with capacities ranging from 10 – 145 hl. The above-ground cellars are designed for 300 barrels

All vines for the appellation wines are harvested by hand. Many of the vines date back to 1972/3 when the planting of chardonnay and chenin blanc was authorized in Limoux, although there is some mauzac predating that time.

The Languedoc is the world’s biggest, most exciting wine region –  an immense ampitheatre extending from the Pyrenees to the Rhone, and from the foothills of the Massif Central to the Mediterranean.  It is the home of more organically/sustainably farmed vineyards than any other region in the country.  Most of its wines are rich, full-bodied reds,  but the small, most south-western appellation called Limoux is the exception:  like a diamond in a setting of rubies it is known for its fine white and sparkling wines.

Limoux is the undisputed fizz capital of the Languedoc. We are proud to continue a tradition which goes back hundreds of years, long before Champagne was even invented.

http://www.rives-blanques.com/