Wine Tasting Day3 - Domaine Les Yeuses

On day three we made our way down to Domaine les Yeuses, an old, old winery where Peter, our tour leader & organizer, prepares his wine for bottling. I knew Peter was a wine importer, enthusiast, and teacher, but this was the first I had heard that he was also a wine maker. The man likes his wine! 

Gorgeous flowers at Domaine Les Yeuses

As the bus takes us to our penultimate winery, Peter explains that we've been to some really great wineries, but he's saved his favorite two for last. Great! I've already purchased how many bottles of wine?!?

Love the old signs

When the lead winemaker came out of the building, I was happy to see yet another woman! She was another delightful gal who told us all about their wine, winemaking style, and history. The main building (covered in ivy) was built in the 13th century by and for the Knights Templar. Holy crap! I keep forgetting how old the buildings—even unassuming buildings—can be in Europe.

Peter & wine maker in front of Ivy-covered Knights Templar building

13th C Knights Templar building

As we took our tour of their winemaking facilities, we spotted three stainless steel vats of different St. Felix varietals, which is Peter's wine label.  

Peter's St. Felix Rose (AKA Ass Rage?)

Another St. Felix

The last St. Felix

We saw the industrial side of the winemaking business, including lots and lots of vats of wine. 

Nuts & bolts of the operation

That's a lotta wine!

There were some locations where the vast building shows its age. For example, in the picture below you can get a feel for the age of the plaster-like wall (800+ years old!) over the arched doorway. I'm not sure what all of the rooms would have been used for back when the crusaders used them, but they sure were big with super-tall ceilings. 

Inside the Knights Templar building

Once we were done with the tour, it was off to the tasting!

Delic Yeuses / white
Viognier

Unoaked Chardonnay

Oaked Chardonnay

Rose
Grenache

Muscat Petit Grain

Delic Yeuses / Red
Merlot / Syrah

Syrah Les Espices

The wines were tasty, but at each location I tried to reign in my eagerness to buy, buy, buy! My rule was if I liked it and I thought Bill would like it, I bought one. If I thought we'd both love it and want to share it, I'd buy two. The bottles I bought two of are so that he and I can enjoy one bottle and take another to a dinner party or gift to someone. At this winery I purchased two Delic Yeusus white, two of the oaked Chardonnay, and two Syrah Les Espices. Yum!