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Charles Hours now assisted by his daughter, Marie, is one of the great vignerons of the South West.
Over the twenty years since he purchased the estate it has expanded from just 3.5 hectares to the current 14 hectares.
The vineyards are planted predominantly with Petit Manseng, with 35% Gros Manseng and 5% of the indigenous Petit Courbu making up the balance. The vines are planted at a density of 4000 plants/ha and are trained high, with yields depending on the cuvée, as little as 30 hl/ha in some cases.
Charles has not been shy of new investment, conscious of the need for good facilities in the production of great wine.
He has built a smart new press house and barrel cellar between 1990 and 1996, and the domaine has been kitted out with temperature controlled fermentation equipment and a gentle pneumatic press. The barrel house sees a 20% turnover in oak each year. There are just two cuvées produced here, one dry and one sweet Jurançon, both of them are exceptional.
The dry is Cuvée Marie, made from 90% Gros Manseng and 10% Petit Courbu, harvested at 50 hl/ha. After a gentle press and fermentation the wine goes into barrel for up to eleven months, with a maximum 10% new oak.
"An elegant, rich white, showing full-bodied flavours of almond, ripe pear, mineral and smoke, with a long, unctuous finish of marmalade and spice." Wine Spectator, 90pts
"Jurancon sec, the dry white wine of Southwest France, is an astonishing bargain, and this one from highly regarded producer Charles Hours of Clos Uroulat is one of the best from this historic appellation. Made primarily from the Gros Manseng with 10% Courbu blended in for finesse, the Cuvee Marie has an exquisite balance of richness, tart acidity and minerality. I love its scent of lime and flowers touched with a little oak. This is a white that can age, and age beautifully. But if you drink it now, open the bottle a little ahead of time. Jurancon sec is a tremendously versatile food wine.
Drink it with scallops in a sauce, calamari a la plancha, Indian curries, a roast chicken. It’s also a great wine with cheese." L.A Times
