Domaine de Souch

At the age of sixty, Yvonne Hegoburu, manager of Château de Viaud (Lalande de Pomerol), decided to plant vines on 6 hectares of her property in the south west of France Domaine de Souch in Laroin. She chose a number of the area’s traditional grape varieties: Petit Manseng, Gros Manseng and Courbu. She chose a number of the area’s traditional grape varieties: Petit Manseng, Gros Manseng and Courbu. She started monumental work to renovate the estate. She installed on terraces carved out by bulldozer 13,000 trellis posts made from trees cut down on the estate.

She also equipped herself with bladder-type pneumatic press, de-stemmer and temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. That was in 1985. The first harvest in 1990 was already very promising.

Since 1994, the vineyard has been run following the principles of biodynamic viticulture. In just a few years, Domaine de Souch has acquired a reputation as one of the best in its appellation.

Yvonne Hegoburu sees it as an intellectual initiative, almost a vocation. “Here in the South West of France, where the wind from Spain mingles with the fragrances of the ocean, Yvonne Hegoburu does everything within her power to ensure her grapes are happy” (“Vignerons Independants” - November 2001). Upon tasting it becomes apparent that both grapes and wines are extremely grateful to her for all the “maternal” care she gives them.