Clos du Notaire

Identity

Clos du Notaire is a winegrowing estate located in Bourg-sur-Gironde, in the Gironde department. It is owned by Amélie Osmond and Victor Mischler.

History and philosophy

The history of Clos du Notaire dates back to the mid-19th century, when the estate was owned by the Coutin family, notaries from Jonzac, which gave the property its name. In 1974, Roland Charbonnier took over management of the estate alongside Sylvette Charbonnier. In 2015, Amélie Osmond and Victor Mischler acquired the property. They practice traditional and sustainable viticulture, keeping synthetic inputs to a strict minimum. The estate is actively engaged in the organic farming certification process.

The appellations

The wines of Clos du Notaire are produced under the Côtes de Bourg appellation.

Practical information

Clos du Notaire is located at 26 bis, Camillac, 33710 Bourg-sur-Gironde. Prior booking by phone is recommended at 05.57.68.44.36 or +33 5 57 68 44 36. You can also contact the estate by email at infos@clos-du-notaire.fr or infos@clos-du-notaire.vin.

The tasting cellar and shop are open from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm, and on weekends by appointment. Tastings are available at the property. Vineyard tours followed by a tasting of 5 wines last approximately 1.5 hours and are priced at €12 per person. The estate also offers two 4-star holiday cottages (gîtes) capable of accommodating up to 19 guests.

Find out more

Official estate website

The vineyard (terroir)

The Clos du Notaire vineyard spans 21 hectares, with 15 hectares currently in production. The vines, with an average age of 25 years, are planted at a density of 4,500 vines per hectare and pruned in double Guyot. The terroir features clay-limestone soils, with surface alluvium and silt, as well as gravel over starfish limestone (calcaire à astéries) on select parcels. To maintain the vineyard, the estate promotes full grass cover cropping and the use of winter green manures (such as oats, barley, and vetch). Viticultural practices exclude the use of insecticides, acaricides, and synthetic soil conditioners. The grape varieties planted are Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Flagship cuvées

The estate offers several cuvées, including Château Le Clos du Notaire - Cuvée traditionnelle, a red wine characterised by black fruit aromas. It offers a generous palate and an elegant finish with silky tannins. This cuvée can be enjoyed in its youth or cellared for around ten years.

The Notaris cuvée is also crafted, at times as a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, and undergoes oak ageing. A Notaris Grande Réserve bottling has also been produced, dominated by Merlot and aged for eighteen months half in tank and half in barrel.

The estate produces both red and rosé wines. A cuvée named AMÉLIE OSMOND Quand elle vous renverse! is also offered as a still red wine, predominantly made from Merlot.

Vinification and ageing

Vinification at Clos du Notaire involves meticulous maturity tracking and temperature-controlled fermentation. Extraction is carried out through split pump-overs and aerations to craft supple, concentrated wines. Maceration lasts between 18 and 25 days, and malolactic fermentation takes place in vats. Cold settling is carried out at 10°C, and bleeding (saignée) is performed after two hours of skin contact under an inert atmosphere for certain wines. Sulphur levels are carefully managed to remain low, with less than 50 mg/l in total once the wine is bottled. Ageing for the Cuvée Traditionnelle takes place entirely in stainless steel vats. For other cuvées such as Notaris or specific vintages of Château Le Clos du Notaire, ageing may include barrel maturation or a combination of vat and oak barrels for periods of up to eighteen months.