Julien Ilbert is bringing a fresh perspective to his native Cahors with an array of ambitious, terroir-driven Malbecs.
For generations the Ilbert family sold grapes to the local co-operative, until Julien's father combined their vineyard holdings and established Combel-La-Serre in the tiny village of Cournou in south-west France. After studying winemaking in Saint-Emilion, Julien took over responsibilities from his father in 2005, and soon converted the estate to organics.
Julien now farms 25ha of Auxerrois (aka Malbec or Côt) on diverse terroirs across Cahors' limestone plateau. Unlike his neighbours, he has eschewed the recent trend of planting international varieties, preferring to nurture the old Auxerrois vineyards planted by his grandparents more than 50 years ago.
After a short maceration, Julien vinifies his wines with a large percentage of whole clusters in cement and steel tanks before ageing them in a combination of used and new wooden barrels. He bottles without fining or filtration and keeps sulphur to a minimum.
From the entry-level vin de soif 'Le Pur Fruit du Causse' and the richer 'Cuvée Château' to his ageworthy single-site wines – 'Les Peyres Levades' and 'Le Lac aux Cochons' – Julien is challenging preconceptions of Malbec in the most delicious way.
