Raising a glass with Françoise on the first day of the 2019 harvest.
It was in Limoux, France in 1544 at a Benedictine Abbey that sparkling wine was created- 150 years before Dom Perignon claimed to “see stars”. Maison Antech is the premier house making beautiful sparkling wine in Limoux in the Languedoc region of Southern France. Yes, they are made in the same traditional method as Champagne, with their second fermentations in bottle, which lends elegance and complexity to the wine. The Antech family has been making wine since the late 1800’s; it was in 1970 that brothers Georges and Roger Antech decided that Maison Antech would highlight Limoux’s unique history by only making sparkling wine.
Hand-painted mural at the winery of the six generations of Masion Antech.
Françoise Antech Gazeau is the 6th generation powerhouse at the helm of her family’s winery today. She works to honor the terroir which makes Antech’s wine so special - Mauzac, an ancient varietal native to this part of the world, is a key component in the Maison’s wines. Françoise’s Crémants continue to win accolades year after year around the world, as a result of her commitment to an authentic winemaking style which respects the environment via eco-friendly viticulture.
Émotion Rosé waiting to be labeled and packed for shipping.
In addition to her passionate love of family and her work, Françoise is an advocate for social and cultural change. She is an active member of the ViniFilles, a luminous group women winemakers in the Languedoc which support each other in their endeavors, joyfully celebrate life together, and honor their heritage. Their mission? “To get things done!” Their goals? “To share their knowledge and develop mutual aid between winegrowers, to preserve the terroir, landscape and environment they love, and to transmit the culture of wine, conviviality, and gastronomy by involving people from all walks of life”. Cheers to Françoise, the ViniFilles, and to celebrating life!
