Domaine Cosse Maisonneuve

The story of Domaine Cosse Maisonneuve

Founded in 1999 by Matthieu Cosse and Catherine Maisonneuve, Domaine Cosse Maisonneuve quickly became one of the leading forces behind the revival of the Cahors AOC. Both having worked at major wine estates before settling in the Lot, they set out from the beginning to showcase an elegant and precise expression of Malbec, far from the sometimes austere image once associated with Cahors wines.

To achieve this, the couple adopted a demanding approach early on, both in the vineyard and in the cellar. The plots are farmed using organic and biodynamic methods, with significant soil work and controlled yields to preserve the identity of each terroir. The winemaking process is minimally interventionist, and the aging is carefully tailored to each cuvée, resulting in balanced wines where fruit, freshness, and finesse take center stage, without ever sacrificing the depth and aging potential characteristic of great Cahors.

Diverse terroirs at the heart of the Cahors AOC

The Cosse Maisonneuve vineyard covers 17 hectares, spread across several terroirs within the Cahors appellation. The estate cultivates both the alluvial terraces of the Lot Valley and the limestone hillsides of the causse, two major and complementary terroirs that offer very different expressions of Malbec.

The terraces generally allow for the production of indulgent and concentrated wines, while the limestone hillsides bring more freshness, finesse and tension. This diversity of soils enables the estate to craft cuvées with strong character, each highlighting a different aspect of its original terroir.

Depending on the vintage and the plots, the wines reveal aromas of ripe black fruits, violet, licorice, pepper, or even graphite, supported by a beautiful texture and remarkable length on the palate. Several cuvées come from old vines, whose low yields bring even greater concentration and complexity.

Domaine Cosse Maisonneuve and the Cahors AOC

Located in the Lot department, the Cahors AOC is one of the historic appellations of the French vineyard. Recognized since 1971, it covers over 4,000 hectares of vines spread on both sides of the Lot valley. Its climate, blending oceanic and Mediterranean influences, combined with a great diversity of soils, allows for the production of wines with a unique character, renowned for their structure, depth, and excellent aging potential.

The flagship grape variety of the appellation is Malbec, which must account for at least 70% of the blend. Once nicknamed the "black wine" due to its deep color, modern Cahors now captivates with more balanced profiles, where power is matched by freshness and remarkable aromatic precision. The finest wines reveal notes of blackcurrant, blackberry, violet, licorice, graphite, and spices, while maintaining an exceptional ability to age.

The Cahors vineyard is mainly based on three major types of terroirs : alluvial terraces of the Lot valley, clay-limestone hillsides, and limestone plateaus of the causse. This mosaic of soils brings out very different expressions of Malbec, allowing producers to highlight finesse, concentration, freshness, or structure depending on the plots and vintages.

Domaine Cosse Maisonneuve is a perfect example of this diversity. Thanks to its commitment to organic and biodynamic farming, precise winemaking, and a rigorous selection of terroirs, the estate crafts wines that truly reflect the identity of the Cahors AOC. From the indulgent cuvée Le Combal to the prestigious Les Laquets or La Marguerite, each bottle reveals a different side of Malbec and helps to enhance the reputation of this great appellation from the South-West.

Malbec, iconic grape variety of the Cahors AOC

It is impossible to talk about the Cahors AOC and Domaine Cosse Maisonneuve without mentioning Malbec, the emblematic grape of the region and the common thread running through the entire range.

Making up at least 70% of the wines in the appellation, Malbec thrives in the Lot’s terroirs, where it finds the perfect conditions to fully express its character. Long known for producing very powerful and tannic wines, today it reveals a whole new side thanks to the work of producers like Matthieu Cosse and Catherine Maisonneuve.

Depending on the cuvée, Malbec can develop a particularly rich aromatic profile, combining notes of blackberry, blackcurrant, violet, licorice, graphite, cocoa, and sweet spices. The palate is generally distinguished by a beautiful texture, silky tannins, great freshness, and remarkable length, offering wines that are as enjoyable in their youth as they are capable of aging for many years.

While Malbec remains largely predominant, certain blends within the appellation may include a proportion of Cabernet Franc or Merlot. These blends then bring more smoothness, freshness, or roundness depending on the desired style, while still allowing Cahors’ signature grape to take center stage.

The signature cuvées of Domaine Cosse Maisonneuve

Le Combal is the perfect introduction to the estate’s world. Made from Malbec, it charms with its vibrant fruit, silky tannins, and smoothness. Accessible from a young age, it offers a beautiful expression of the Cosse Maisonneuve style, while maintaining remarkable freshness.

More ambitious, La Fage mainly comes from the gravelly terraces of the Lot valley. More structured, this cuvée develops a generous texture, aromas of dark fruits, spices, and licorice, as well as excellent aging potential, all while retaining great elegance.

Les Laquets, crafted from old vines planted on limestone hillsides, is one of the estate's flagship cuvées. Long, distinctive and particularly refined, it perfectly illustrates the revival of the great wines of the Cahors AOC thanks to its balance between power, freshness, and finesse. Depending on the vintage, it reveals notes of dark fruits, violet, cedar, spices, and a lingering finish that gives it excellent aging potential.

At the top of the range, La Marguerite is the estate's prestige cuvée. Sourced from a small plot of about 2.5 hectares on a siderolithic terroir particularly rich in iron oxides, it expresses all the complexity and intensity of Cahors Malbec. Complex, floral, spicy, and with remarkable length on the palate, it is among the most sought-after bottles from the estate.

The estate also produces other wines such as Sidérolithe, Le Sid, Le Petit Sid, Solis, and Cheval en Tête. Each cuvée reflects Matthieu Cosse and Catherine Maisonneuve's commitment to exploring the full diversity of their region's terroirs and grape varieties.

Wines from Domaine Cosse Maisonneuve at La Cave Éclairée

A leading name in the Southwest, Domaine Cosse Maisonneuve is among those producers who have truly transformed the image of the Cahors appellation. Thanks to organic farming, largely inspired by biodynamic principles, the estate produces wines of great precision, where red wine combines power, freshness, and elegance with remarkable consistency from one vintage to the next.

This is exactly the vision that convinced us to select the estate’s wines. Behind every bottle lies meticulous work in both the vineyard and the cellar, allowing Malbec to fully express the richness of its terroir through a style that is both fruity, spicy, and exceptionally refined. From the most accessible cuvées to wines for aging, the range perfectly embodies the revival of great Cahors.

On this page, you will find the various references currently available in stock, offered at the best price. If you would like to discover the world of Domaine Cosse Maisonneuve or need advice in choosing a wine, we would be delighted to assist you. Feel free to explore our entire selection and references, whether from the South-West or other regions of France, in both white and red!