A singular terroir

Situated on Catalonian land, our terroir proudly displays its assets: minerality, a powerful wind, sunshine, a dry climate, and altitude.

Our vines draw their character from this unique terroir, where the parent rock of the Pyrenees has decomposed over millennia into a mineral soil rich in gneiss and stones. Our wind, the Tramontane, is powerful enough to send men mad, but hugely bene cial for the vines.

The soft, warm Mediterranean sun is tempered by the cooling effects of altitude. This balance is supplemented by low rainfall.

A timeless heritage

For centuries now, generations of vignerons have worked these soils and crafted the landscape into terraces. They have handed down a savoir-faire; plots of mass-selected vines more than 100 years old; and a philosophy founded on tenacity and respect. We are happy to perpetuate these techniques and knowledge for future generations.

Vines grown organically, without hesitation

At the estate, it seems self-evident that we should respect the land we farm; provide our vines with a balanced environment; and make healthy wines. We are committed to certi ed organic methods, and apply certain biodynamic principles. Our vineyards are completely free of herbicides and pesticides. We take real pleasure in walking through plots dotted with wild  owers; there is room here for ladybirds, butter ies and bees... What we wish for our land is biodiversity, with wild fauna and flora.

A place that carries us along

It is impossible to escape the force of this place. It leaves its mark, carries us along, sustains us.

Stunning all-round panoramic views, stretching for dozens of miles, give a sense of freedom and lightness. The nearby mountains, with peaks reaching nearly 3,000 metres, exude reassuring strength. This natural world, wild and authentic, gives us tranquillity and peace of mind. Gentle sunshine shows us the way to a generous, benevolent way of thinking. And the wind stirs our craziest ideas!

Since first encountering these elements in 2005, and then day by day, we have found a source of inspiration to forge the estate’s philosophy.

A philosophy founded on respect.

Respect for the complexity of the terroir. Respect for the lightness and force of this place. Respect for tradition and heritage. And lastly, respect for pure, unimpaired nature.

Tend ceach vine so that it can give us the most beautifully ripe grapes. Silky tannins, aromatic complexity, and dynamic freshness.

Protect the grapes between vine and vat, respecting their integrity; they are hand-picked in 10kg crates, transported gently, and placed quickly in vats that are rendered inert.

Retain a pure taste from crop sorting onwards (300kg of grapes sorted daily per person).

Respect as best possible each plot, so that it can express its specific identity. The wine is vinified in very small (12hL) containers, and receives tailored attention.

Give voice to the terroir, by using native yeasts and avoiding mechanical extraction.

Mature without restricting or forcing. Understand and nurture through tasting.

Protect the soul of our fragile terroir, through fine-tuned winemaking and controlled racking.

Offer consumers, collectors and discerning enthusiasts all of our work in the best conditions. A bottle with a cork chamber of rare quality, a carefully selected cork (with double analysis to detect corked and mouldy taste defects) and meticulous control of bottling conditions (filtration, stabilisation, air dissolving, corking).

Established in 2005.
Owned by the Paetzold family. 
In 2015, the estate’s name changed from Domaine Mastrio to Domaine Paetzold.
The estate buildings are located in Bélesta (Department of Pyrénées-Orientales) on the old 18th-century border between France and Spain.
The expanses of vines are in the municipalities of Bélesta and Caramany.

Appellations: IGP Côtes Catalanes and AOC Côtes du Roussillon villages Caramany.
Vineyard area: 15.3 hectares (37.8 acres).

Vine age 
7.1 ha - 100+ years
5.5 ha - 30-60 years
1.5 ha - 15 years
1 ha 5 - years

Varietal mix
Carignan Noir 5.9ha
Carignan Blanc 1.7ha
Syrah 3.6ha
Grenache Noir 3.8ha
Macabeu 0.3ha

Terroir 
First foothills of the Pyrenees.
Situated west of Perpignan, on the ridge separating the Agly and Têt Valleys. 
Altitude : 280-450m.
Decomposing granite called gneiss.
Granite sand, up to 40cm blocks.
Vineyards all located on hillsides. No alluvium no fertile hollows.

Climate
300 days of sunshine a year. 
Low rainfall : 400mm a year. 
Climate influenced by the Tramontane wind.

Winery built and first harvests in 2012.
Gravity-flow vinification and maturing (no pumping).
Small vats : 12hL.
Temperature-controlled winemaking; wine protected from oxygen by inert gas.
Gentle manual cap-punching.

Yields : 12-25hL/ha.
Average yield per vine: 0.5L.

Grapes are hand picked in 10kg crates.
Destemming, sorting table, gravity feed into vats.
Cold maceration prior to fermentation.
Short vatting, fermentation with native yeasts.
Maturing : 14 months.
Few interventions.

Organically farmed vines, certified by Ecocert.
No synthetic molecules or penetrating molecules.
Pruning as per lunar rhythms.
Promotion of soil life activators.
Promotion of biodiversity for flora and fauna. 
Vines mass-selected from our old plots.
Four-arm goblet training for the Carignan and Grenache vines.
Cordon training for the Syrah.
Highly-ventilated goblets to promote even ripening.