Château du Cèdre, in the heart of the Cahors appellation, is widely regarded as the region’s leading light, where the Malbec grape reaches new heights. Deep, dark, and elegant, Pascal and Jean-Marc Verhaeghe’s wines express the estate’s superb terroir with precision and soul. Still pioneering today, they are supported by an excellent team and the next generation. Pascal’s sons, Jules and Robin, have brought a fresh dynamic to the family business, shaping the next chapter of Malbec with respect for tradition and an eye on the future.What influenced your decision to join the family business? I took over the family estate because I love working the land and I am a lover of good taste. On top of that, I had a real desire to perpetuate the fundamentals that make me so deeply attached to this property. And that starts with the vineyard. We cultivate our vines like a garden, with almost obsessive attention and meticulousness. We spend most of our time in our plots, and that is something I love and want to see continue. Whatever the climate throws at us, the grapes we harvest must be beautiful, ripe, and good at the time of harvest. I love this discipline and rigor. We have it in the vineyard, but it extends to every aspect of the work on the estate, particularly in the cellar. Les Vins du Cèdre wines have always stood out for their freedom of interpretation of Malbec. The possibilities seem endless... I also love the freedom that this profession allows. My ambition is that we retain just enough impertinence to push Malbec to its limits, revealing it in new forms, textures, and subtleties. What role did your father’s and uncle’s experience play in shaping the Domaine’s philosophy on sustainability and the decision to go organic in the early 1990s? My uncle and father saw my grandfather become ill due to the chemicals used in the vineyard. It was therefore important for them to switch to organic farming in the early 1990s. (awkward; “This motivated them…” flows better) This new approach, closer to nature, has been beneficial for the estate's history, as we have focused on what is most important: harvesting the healthiest and ripest grapes possible in September. What is the major flavour profile of Malbec planted in Cahors? The aromatic profile of Malbec in Cahors is often complex and intense. We can detect aromas of cherries, and blackberries. Its distinctive feature is its floral aroma, which can include intense notes of violet. The advantage of Malbec in Cahors is its aging potential. Even with aging, its floral and fruity aromas remain vibrant for many years. What are the main differences with Malbec from Argentina? Powerful Argentine Malbecs display ripe, rich fruitiness and a heady texture. They have a generous alcohol content and a more or less full-bodied structure, with spicy tannins that are prominent but often rounded, rarely angular. Good Malbecs seduce with their spicy, smooth fruitiness, sometimes a little mellow, and their full-bodied structure, which is never lacking in elegance among the best producers. In Cahors, Malbec is more built around acidity and therefore freshness. The aromatic palette is also different, often built around ripe cherry and violet in its youth. The wine's dynamics are often quite lively and juicy. To sum up, Cahors Malbec is generally more slender and elongated. Château du Cèdre sits on two distinct soil types. How do these terroirs influence the style and complexity of your wines? We have two distinct terroirs : The first plot was formed by the breakdown of limestone during the Quaternary period. The grapes from this rare terroir are characterized by great finesse and aromatic complexity. The second is located on a ridge. It is a high terrace of Mindel, formed 500,000 years ago, composed of very ancient river alluvium. This soil is made up of rounded pebbles mixed with reddish ferruginous sand on the surface. Clay and silica dominate at depth. The grapes from this terroir are characterized by rich, full-bodied flavours and density. Did the recent heatwave have a significant impact on the vines? So far, the heat waves have had no impact because the rainy spring replenished our soil's water reserves. In addition, our living soils, rich in organic matter, keep the vines cool. When do you think you’ll start harvesting this year? I think we will start harvesting the whites at the end of August or very early September. The red harvest will begin around September 20. How is vintage 2025 shaping up? The 2025 vintage is looking good so far. The vines grew very well in the spring thanks to a wet and warm spring. The rain that fell in the spring is helping the plants cope with the heatwave we are currently experiencing. However, it is still important that rain falls in the coming weeks. If it does, the vintage could be very, very good. What is the ageing potential of your wines? Some of our wines can age very well for over 40 years. What is your favourite wine and food pairing? Braised country bacon, mashed potatoes with cabbage, paired with a Syrah from the northern Rhône. What is your favourite vintage at Château du Cèdre? The 2023 vintage is my favorite at Château du Cèdre. What older vintage is best to drink at the moment? The best older vintage at the moment is 2015.Discover Château du Cèdre wines