Montagnac co-operative closes facilities in Cournonsec after 20 years and investments of €13 million

he co-operative winery in Cournonsec, which belongs to the Vignerons Montagnac Domitienne, has closed. The facilities were built in 2006 and were hailed at the time as the winery of the future, requiring an investment of €13 million. At a meeting last March, the board decided by a large majority to close the winery, presenting their plans to member growers at its last AGM. Boasting 130,000 hectolitres of tank space, it will process its final harvest this year. At the time it was built, executives were expecting volumes to increase through mergers with neighbouring wineries which ultimately failed to materialise. As of 2026, its sole purpose will be as a collection point for grapes grown in surrounding villages which will subsequently be taken to Montagnac, the group’s other winery.

“In 2019, we produced 180,000 hl. This year, we only made 100,000 hl”, explains chairman Nicolas Michel, citing the impact of climate change and loss of acreage due to vine pulls. Another nail in its coffin was the winery’s focus on red wine production using thermovinification – demand for this style of wine has since diminished and member growers have switched their vineyards to whites and rosés.

Also, most of the tanks at the Cournonsec site are stainless steel and located outside, meaning they have to be cooled, “at an astronomical cost”, admits Michel. The winery’s future has yet to be clearly defined – some of the equipment will be transferred to Montagnac, whilst the rest will be sold separately. Renting out tanks for storage is another option that will be looked into.