The flagship of Benoît Aymard’s range, LA-O showcases the depth and elegance that Cahors Malbec can achieve. Sourced from older vines on limestone-rich soils, it is vinified with minimal intervention to highlight the purity of fruit and the character of the terroir. The result is a wine of striking balance — combining ripe black fruits, floral violet notes, and subtle oak spice with firm yet refined tannins.

More structured and age-worthy than its playful siblings, LA-O is a modern classic of Cahors: concentrated and polished, yet retaining freshness and lift. It’s a wine for the dinner table — pairing beautifully with hearty autumn dishes — and one that will reward both immediate enjoyment and a few years of patience in the cellar.

Clos d’Audhuy is a family-owned estate nestled in the western part of the Cahors appellation, in the village of Lacapelle‑Cabanac. Benoît Aymard, a third-generation winemaker, assumed full direction of the estate around 2014, reviving and steering it toward a modern, terroir-driven expression of Malbec.

Under his leadership, the estate has grown significantly. It expanded from just a few hectares to approximately 15 hectares of vineyards planted across diverse hill slopes and soil types — from alluvial gravel terraces along the Lot River up to limestone-rich plateaus on the causse above.

Benoît works entirely with organic practices, and the domaine achieved full organic certification in 2021.

His winemaking philosophy centres around minimal intervention and highlighting the purity of Malbec — favouring juice-forward, fresh styles that move away from the austere or overly extracted profile sometimes associated with Cahors. Vats are gravity-fed, fermentations use only indigenous yeasts, and élevage happens in a mix of concrete, stainless steel, and oak according to each cuvée’s character.

All in all, Clos d’Audhuy’s renewed spirit and stylistic freshness can be squarely attributed to Benoît Aymard’s vision and dedication.

Malbec (100%)

Malbec is a dark-skinned grape variety best known today for its bold, fruit-driven wines. Originally from southwest France, it was historically one of the six permitted grapes in Bordeaux blends and the signature grape of Cahors, where it is often called Côt or Auxerrois. In France, Malbec tends to produce structured, tannic wines with deep colour, notes of dark berries, plum, spice, and a distinctive earthy edge. Malbec found a second home in Argentina in the mid-19th century, where the sunny climate and high-altitude vineyards of Mendoza gave it a new identity. There it produces supple, generous wines with ripe black fruit, smooth tannins, and vibrant freshness, making it an international favourite. Today, Malbec is celebrated for its versatility — capable of both approachable, juicy wines perfect for everyday enjoyment, and complex, age-worthy examples that rival the world’s great reds.

Southwest France