Clos les Mets d'Ames - Céline Oulié & Cedrik Dubois

Céline Oulié's family estate is located in Aurions-Idernes in the Pyrénées Orientales, on the Béarn side.

After 10 years as an environmental engineer, Céline decided in 2012 to fully commit to a new life project and take over the old family farm. “The family farm, since 1924, has been marked by women. It was first my great-great-grandmother who started a small farm, while her husband was a bricklayer. My great-grandmother took over. It was my father, a farmer, who planted the vines. But at 40, he decided to set up his own business as a craftsman. So, my mother took over the farm. Hence the name of the Clos, ‘Les Mets d’Âmes’ (The Soul's Delicacies), a nod to the women in the family, associated with nourishment for the soul.”

A fervent advocate of biodynamic farming, Céline Oulié runs a working farm of approximately 20 hectares in one contiguous plot, including 5 hectares of vineyards. 3.7 hectares are planted with red grape varieties (Tannat, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon) within the Madiran appellation, and 1.3 hectares with white grape varieties (Petit Manseng, Petit Courbu, Gros Manseng) within the Pacherenc AOC. The remaining land comprises 10 hectares of arable land, 3 hectares of heath and woodland, 3 hectares of natural meadows, a lake, and two ponds, each with its own unique and preserved ecosystem.

The grapes are harvested by hand and placed in crates. Fermentation takes place using natural yeasts and the use of sulfur is kept to a minimum (35 mg/l total max).