L'abus d'alcool est dangereux pour la santé. A consommer avec modération.
Mas Janeil
Mas Janeil is located at the foot of the Corbières, in the heart of the famous Agly Valley. Thirty-five hectares of vines, planted on a wide variety of soils with different sun exposure, produce perfect grapes, which are meticulously vinified on site. The aim is to reveal the purity of the windswept terroirs, while respecting the vines as much as possible by using sustainable agricultural methods, as well as winemaking techniques that are as natural as possible. Mas Janeil wines are a fine reflection of the Agly Valley's wonderful terroir.
The Mas Janeil cellar
Cellars
The Mas Janeil cellars were built in 2011 to adapt to a variety of winemaking needs.
Plots
The vineyard is divided into four main sections running along the Corbières Massif. Mas Janeil is a true geological patchwork crisscrossed and irrigated by limestone springs. Within that small area, schist rubs shoulders with limestone, alluvial sand, and pebbles. Pas de la Mule, a small vineyard in the highest part of the estate, produces our leading cuvée. The soil there consists of brown schist, allowing the Grenache grapes to express their full potential. The Soulanes section is situated in a small valley with black schist benefitting from a cooler microclimate than the rest of the estate. Mourvèdre and Carignan grapes are especially at home here. Last but not least, the Devèzes section features clayey brown schist typical of the area.
Winemaking
Winemaking at Mas Janeil is the culmination of meticulous work done in the vineyard all year round. The guiding philosophy is to let the grapes' natural goodness come through. With that in mind, fermentation takes place with as little intervention as possible. We pick the grapes by hand prior to pre-fermentation cold maceration. The winery facilities also make it possible for us to ferment all our grapes without adding sulphur in order to reveal their aromatic purity.
Viticulture
Sustainable viticulture is practised at Mas Janeil and input products are not used in much of the vineyard.
The climate is Mediterranean, with warm summers and mild winters. Rainfall is rare and most often occurs in winter, which exposes the vines to water stress in the hot, arid summer months. The vines are constantly buffeted by the Tramontane, a cold, dry wind from the North-West or the Marin, a warm, damp sea breeze from the Mediterranean.
Vine density is low, approximately 3,600 vines per hectare. The vineyard consists of sixty-year-old Grenache vines (60%), as well as Syrah (30%) and Mourvèdre. To withstand harsh weather conditions, the vines are spur pruned, giving them a sturdy bushiness in order to cope with the vagaries of the weather. They are planted on the very sunny southern side of the garrigue-covered slopes. Yields are low, about 25 hl/ha. The vineyard plots are laid out in squares (1m x 1m) as in the past - prior to mechanization - so that horses and ploughs can pass through both directions.
