Combel La Serre

The Story of Combel-La-Serre

Located on the limestone plateaus of Cahors, Château de Combel-la-Serre is first and foremost a family estate since 1901. However, in the beginning, the grapes were destined for the cooperative where Jean-Pierre Ilbert worked. In 1998, Jean-Pierre left the cooperative after his son, Julien, announced that he wanted to return home after finishing his studies and find his path.
Accompanied by his wife Martine Ilbert, Jean-Pierre gave this estate a name inspired by the land they live on. Combel is the name of the vineyard where they live, and La Serre is the name of the vineyard opposite, where all the agricultural buildings are located. Thus, in 1998, the Domaine Combel-La-Serre was officially born. Initially, the grapes were sold in "bulk" to secure cash flow and invest in necessary equipment for making their own wine.
This meant investing in winemaking equipment, fermentation vats, and the construction of a new cellar. However, the bulk wine sales were unable to consolidate finances and collapsed, while Julien Ilbert settled permanently with his father at the estate. The only solution to pay back the investments was to “bottle the wine” and become an independent winemaker.

Natural Wines from the South West

At that time, the Combel-La-Serre estate was still largely unknown. Therefore, between 2003 and 2010, Jean-Pierre, Martine, Julien, and Sophie, his wife, traveled across France to sell their wines, attending markets, fairs, and exhibitions. Following these events and valuable encounters, the young couple, Sophie and Julien, decided to change their perspective on how to make and market their wine. The turning point came with the birth of their first daughter in 2011. They wanted their daughter to grow up in a healthier and cleaner environment. The couple then began the process of converting the estate to organic farming. The transition to organic farming was difficult in the early years, as they couldn’t hire additional staff, so the whole family had to pitch in to fill the gap.
But hard work always pays off. Since 2013, the work in organic farming, using green fertilizers for viticulture, has reflected the typical expression of the region's terroir. In 2016, the Combel-La-Serre estate received organic certification for all its parcels from the Ecocert label. A great achievement for the Ilbert family!
Thanks to the continuous improvement of Sophie and Julien in organic methods, we can say that Combel-La-Serre honors the legendary grape variety of the region: Malbec.
Therefore, organic farming has improved the quality of viticulture and the flavor profile of the wine at the estate. The winemakers pay special attention to the quality of the harvest, which is done manually by a team trained in plant culture. This allows the Combel-La-Serre estate to have a healthier harvest every year. Julien Ilbert then experimented with other concepts, such as the first carbonic maceration of Malbec in 2014, the year his son was born, as well as a country wine made with Vermentino, a grape variety cherished by the couple from the estate's coolest terroirs.

The Cuvées from Combel la Serre

Always with the same goal in mind and with respect for life in winemaking, Julien constantly seeks fruitiness and freshness to qualify his cuvées, while creating wines that are smooth, complex (aromatically speaking), and refined.
There are several red wine cuvées, including the Cuvée Château 2019. It perfectly reveals the Cahors appellation with its finest qualities thanks to its grape variety: Malbec. In this cuvée, you’ll find freshness, it’s a drinkable wine with woody notes and dark fruits.
The cuvée La Vigne juste derrière chez Carbo 2021 is also 100% Malbec. Its name refers to Julien Ilbert’s neighbors, the “Carbo,” as the vineyard is located right behind their house. Fruity and delicious, this wine also stands out for its freshness and lightness.
Les Peyres Levades 2018, an Occitan name meaning "The Raised Stones," is a 100% Malbec. The origin of this wine comes from a vineyard situated at 350 meters of altitude, which is the most limestone-rich plot at the estate. Hence its name, directly derived from its terroir. In this cuvée, you’ll find the full mineral quality of the soil with the potential of an exceptional aging wine.
The cuvée Au Cerisier 2020 comes from a single plot of red clay soils on limestone, located at 350 meters of altitude. A cherry tree, as its name suggests, grows on this plot. With fine aromas of wild cherries, the winemaker found the perfect balance between grape variety, terroir, and pleasure.
The white wine L’Eléphant Blanc is a Vermentino grape variety. This expressive wine offers plenty of freshness, fruit, and indulgence. It’s meant to be enjoyed without waiting!
L’Epatant antidote à la chaleur du Causse 2021 is a rosé wine made from Malbec through direct pressing. This wine comes from the clay-limestone soils of the Causse, at 330 meters altitude. With aromas of red fruits, this rosé wine has a refreshing character.
Natural wines that are typical of Cahors, where the region's number one grape variety, Malbec, is honored. Don’t miss them on Epi-curieux.com.
It’s only natural that the wines from Combel-La-Serre were featured in the wine column of Jérôme Gagnez on France Inter, a show presented by the renowned gastronomic journalist François-Régis Gaudry. During the show, the two journalists praised the wines from the estate, especially the rosé l’épatant antidote à la chaleur du Causse, 2022 vintage. Fresh, with a long finish in the mouth, this rosé is recommended by François-Régis Gaudry and Jérôme Gagnez. Since the show, the cuvée has been restocked regularly!