Heavy clouds in anthracite tones hang overhead. The sky is so low that it could touch the tops of the trees that the wind has been trying to dishevel for weeks. This late autumn has just taken the Corrèze countryside in its nets and envelopes these rows of vines in a cottony mist.
Yes, vines here, on the heights of the Auvézère valley, a small river, one of whose loops majestically welcomes the village of Ségur-le-Château on its peninsula. Its unique site, the remains of its castle, its picturesque houses and its medieval streets make it one of the most beautiful villages in France.
A barn turned winery
It is there, on the borders of Dordogne and Haute-Vienne, that this small vineyard is located on this south-facing hillside. Very close to the plot, a farm and a barn. We are moving forward. The door of the august building opens. With a smile on his lips, azure eyes and curly hair, Mathieu Puel welcomes us.
We follow the owner and enter the barn. In this vast nave, there is no dirt, bovine scents and odors typical of the darkness of the barns of our region traditionally dedicated to livestock farming.
No, inside, in an environment with controlled temperature and humidity, we come across stainless steel vats, barrels, bottles. Welcome to the cellar of Repaire Mas Ségur.
We owe the splendid renovation of the barn to Mathieu Puel. It must be said that in his previous life, that of being a Corrèze winemaker, this native of Toulouse was an architect based in Paris. A heritage architect, today specialized in the rehabilitation of cellars.
Therefore a question burns on our lips: how do we end up in Corrèze after such a journey? To understand the genesis of the project, we have to go back in time when Mathieu and his wife, Astrid, decided to restore a family house in 2008.
