Domaine Gayda lies half an hour outside the Medieval city of Carcassonne, in the town of Brugairolles. Founded by friends and business partners Anthony Record and Tim Ford, Gayda is an award-winning wine producer with its heart in the Languedoc. Tim Ford and Anthony Record joined forces with winemaker Vincent Chansault in 2004, creating the modern face of wine from the region.
Born in the Loire Valley, Vincent studied viticulture and oenology in Cognac. He went on to gain experience in the Rhône and Loire before travelling to South Africa where he spent several years around Stellenbosch. It was here, working for the legendary Boekenhoutskloof, that Vincent met Tim and Anthony, and agreed to come back to France and make wine at Domaine Gayda. The connection with Boekenhoutskloof has remained strong, and winemaker Marc Kent still works with Gayda as a consultant. He is particularly involved with the Chemin de Moscou, a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault, and one of the Domaine's flagship wines.
Gayda have a passion for provenance and the expression of terroir through their wines. And in their home, the Languedoc-Roussillon, there is an incredibly varied landscape. Soils, topography and climate vary immensely from one vineyard to the next. To preserve this diversity, the Domaine harvests and vinifies each parcel of land separately. These parcels are then blended together to create a wine with a real sense of place.
It is often said that great wines are made in the vineyard. Domaine Gayda subscribes to this belief, and as such all their vineyards are cultivated organically. Since 2017, they have also incorporated some biodynamic techniques into their viticulture. They encourage biodiversity on their estate, and grow many plants alongside the vines, as well as using massale selection for some vineyards. A respect for terroir and traditional methods is fundamental to the Gayda philosophy. In the winery, measurements are taken on the basis of taste and touch rather than technical analysis. The equipment is a combination of state-of-the-art machinery and time-honoured materials such as oak and terracotta.
In the largest wine region of the world, Domaine Gayda strives to create wine with provenance and a sense of “being” that is a true reflection of the quality and diversity of the Languedoc Roussillon.
