Chateau
du Donjon / Domaine la Galiniere 
The Chateau
There are dozens of Chateaux in France named ‘Donjon’.
That is because it is more than a name, it is a word. A ‘Donjon’ is
a fortified Chateau built with a basement and sub-basement to store
food and arms in case of siege. Our word ‘dungeon’ comes
from the same root.
This Donjon is a 700 year old square tower with walls two feet thick.
It is in Bagnoles, a few miles from Carcassonne, Europe’s most
impressive walled city. It has been in the Panis family for 500 years.
The winery is built right into the Donjon. The thick walls provide
excellent insulation although modern temperature control kicks in
whenever necessary.
Guy Panis
Guy Panis took over on his father’s death at 24, in 1958. At
the time, the property had 40 acres of vines, mostly Carignan with
some Cinsault and Grenache. Despite the impressive old Chateau (the
winery was built into it by Guy’s grandfather) and a pleasant
but modest home next door, income was low. All of the wine was sold
in bulk to negociants.
Guy is a true artisan, both progressive and conservative. He has
been progressive in the sense that he has worked tirelessly to improve
his vineyards. He has been conservative in the sense that all change
has been evolutionary, over a very extended period.
This most western part of Minervois has good terroir, but without
the potential of the new ‘La Liviniere’ Appellation to
the north. Guy’s goal has been to produce very good wine from
modest yields, not great wine from tiny yields. This dovetails perfectly
with the goals of HPS.
In the ‘60’s more Grenache was planted along with a little
more Carignan. In the ‘70’s Guy was one of the first to
plant Merlot, and a few years later Syrah. During the ‘80’s
more Grenache and Syrah went in, equipment in the old Donjon was modernized
and Guy started bottling some of his Minervois. By the mid ‘90’s,
there were almost 100 acres of vines, with 50 producing Minervois,
all of which was Chateau Bottled.
Trouble in Paradise
In the summer of 1996, Guy became seriously ill with circulatory
problems. Just before harvest, he was hospitalized. A call went out
to son Jean, a lighting designer in French theaters. Jean had worked
with his father until his late teens, but had not made wine for over
a decade and had never been in charge of winemaking.
Jean came home to a miserable vintage, plagued by rain and rot. Yields
from the rain-soaked vines were high – much too high. Jean worked
16 hour days, interspersed with visits to his father in the hospital
for mutual encouragement and advice. The wines, to be kind, were mediocre.
For the first time in over a decade, most of the Minervois was sold
in bulk.
Guy staged a recovery that winter and soon after the New Year was
home and starting to work again. Jean worked with him until early
Spring then left again for the theater. That summer Guy’s medical
problems worsened. Again Jean came home to a rain-plagued harvest.
This time he had last year’s experience to guide him, but his
father’s condition was critical. Doctors considered amputating
Guy’s leg, but decided against it as they thought he had only
weeks to live.
Jean Panis and Renaissance
Jean made better wines in ’97 than in ’96, although they
were still far from the standards established by Guy. Of far greater
importance, Guy rallied and returned home at the end of the year with
both legs still attached, although not in perfect working order.
Jean decided to give up the theater. He was joined by Caroline, a
spirited actress ready to settle down and raise a family. 1998 was
a watershed year for Languedoc, the best in history. Guy walks with
a cane, but was able to be with Jean through harvest and winemaking.
Every drop of wine, both Minervois and Vin de Pays was Estate Bottled.
This began a golden age for Donjon. 1999 was a mediocre vintage in
most of Languedoc but western Minervois got none of the rain and Donjon
enjoyed a second consecutive best vintage ever. In 2000 Jean began
a program of expansion. Too much Merlot had been planted throughout
Languedoc and some growers were over-extended. Jean added substantial
parcels on some of Languedoc’s best Merlot terroir. Today he
farms over 150 acres. Guy is ‘retired’ but still works
around the winery, the bulk of the work consisting of giving lots
of advice to Jean.
2001 marked a 4th consecutive fine harvest and Jean expanded the
winery. The 2002 vintage was a disaster in most of Languedoc, but
western Minervois suffered least. The crop was short but quality was
up to the Chateau’s very high standards. In 2003 the vineyards
survived the enervating heat nicely; if quality was not up to the
great ’01, ’99 or ’98 it was better than the good
2000.
The 2004 harvest was problematic throughout Languedoc but frantic
field pruning during the cool rainy summer allowed Jean to make graceful
wines of real concentration.
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The Wines
A very wide range is produced, with some bottlings under different
labels for the European supermarkets. With yields averaging a modest
four tons per acre (much less than the law allows), there are now
about 40,000 cases. These wines are imported by HPS:
Chateau du Donjon Minervois ‘Prestige’
2000 cases – Jean
Panis is too smart to try to make great wine from merely good terroir.
This is a value at well under $20 retail. The 2001 was Class Champion
in the most prestigious Houston Rodeo Wine Competition. 60% Syrah,
40% Grenache.
Chateau du Donjon Minervois Grande Tradition
10,000 cases – This is the ‘flagship’ bottling.
In January 2005 when growers of bad Vin de Table were rioting in
Narbonne 20 miles away, Jean was frantically planning to bottle his
2004 3 months before he wanted to, because he was out of wine and
customers were calling. 40% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 20% Carignan.
Chateau du Donjon Minervois Rose
1500 cases – A
gorgeous dry rose that is pleasing crowds in both Europe and the U.S.
50% Grenache, 40% Syrah, 10% Cinsault.
Domaine la Galiniere Merlot
10,000 cases – In
a world awash with Merlot, this is a standout for quality and value.
Domaine la Galiniere Cabernet Sauvignon
1500
cases – Surprising richness and depth of flavor from a fine young-vine
Cabernet vineyard cropped for low yields. I’m hoping that
Jean will plant more of this!
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