Closerie des Moussis

Identity

Les Closeries des Moussis winegrowing estate is situated in Arsac, in the Gironde département. It is run by Pascale Choime, an oenologist, and Laurence Alias, an agricultural engineer specialising in ecology and sustainable development.

History and philosophy

Created in 2008, Les Closeries des Moussis was founded on the desire to craft wines guided by the principles of organic and biodynamic viticulture. The estate takes its name from the historical presence of wild plum trees in the area. Certified organic since 2012, the estate went on to achieve Demeter biodynamic certification in 2015.

The appellations

The wines of Les Closeries des Moussis are produced under several appellations, notably Haut-Médoc and Margaux, as well as Bordeaux.

Winemaking and ageing

The winemaking philosophy at Les Closeries des Moussis follows a natural wine approach, reducing sulphites and relying on indigenous yeasts. The wines are unfined and only very lightly filtered. Ageing takes place with 10% to 20% new oak barrels, and sulphur additions are minimal, applied strictly when necessary, with levels of 1 to 2 mg/l at bottling.

Practical information

The estate is located at 23, allée du Blanchard, 33460 Arsac. The estate can be contacted by telephone on 06 70 61 31 39 or by email at alias.laurence@gmail.com.

Find out more

No official website is currently documented for this estate.

The vineyard (terroir)

The vineyard currently covers an area of 4.5 hectares. Viticultural practices exclude the use of pesticides and weedkillers, favouring grass cover between rows and horse-drawn ploughing with the help of Jumpa. The estate also boasts a plot of pre-phylloxera vines in Cantenac, over 150 years old, which features the six traditional Bordeaux grape varieties, including Carménère. Soil types vary, ranging from black sands to gravels and silty sands.

Key cuvées

Les Closeries des Moussis offers several cuvées. Among them, the cuvée Virevolte in the Haut-Médoc appellation stands out for being crafted with no added sulphur. The Baragane cuvée, also in Haut-Médoc, is described as generous and powerful. The estate also produces a Cuvée Classique in Haut-Médoc and a Margaux cuvée.