Legend has it that the Vocontii – the forefathers of the Diois – would submerge their wine in the raging torrents of the Drôme river at the start of fermentation, to protect their sparkle. Clairette de Die has since grown to be one of the Drôme Valley’s natural treasures. As well as being the oldest appellation in the Diois, it is also the best known.

The wines of Ventoux grow in a protected terroir with exceptional levels of biodiversity.

The Mont Ventoux area has been listed as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 1990.
The vineyards are worked in harmony with nature and with respect for the region’s historical and cultural heritage.

Ventoux’s red wines are supple and aromatic, their scents ranging from red fruit and spices to leather, liquorice and truffles. Their fame has spread to the other side of the Atlantic.
In their wake come the appellation rosés – fresh, with good length of flavour and notes of cherries, raspberries and flowers. Ventoux whites hint at iris, acacia and citrus.

This iconic part of Provence with its châteaux and hilltop villages is brim-full of architectural treasures; its charm and relaxed lifestyle have attracted numerous artists, including Picasso, André Lhote, Nicolas de Staël and Albert Camus...

The vineyards grow in the surroundings of the Luberon Natural Regional Park, part of UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves. The vines are planted between 200 and 450 meters altitude. Giving a wide diurnal temperature range which in turn gives the wines a distinctive edge of freshness.

Although the appellation produces all three colours, it is best known for its aromatic, elegant, vibrant rosés. The whites also have good finesse, and feature the citrus notes of Rolle (Vermentino).
The reds are rounded and balanced with a good expression of fruit.

Planted on land long famed for its truffles, amid fields of lavender and thyme interspersed with olive groves, the Grignan-les-Adhémar vines soak up the scents and flavours of Provence, distilled by the Drôme sunshine... The beauty of its architectural heritage only serves to enhance the appeal of this region. Châteaux, chapels, fortifications, historic lavoirs and statues.

The wines of Grignan les Adhémar show a fine balance between the easy-drinking flavours of Grenache and the power of Syrah. Their style has evolved over the years, and now more than ever, they deserve their reputation as wines of instant, lasting appeal.

Made in the cool of the Cévennes, but with a fiery southern character and identity, Duché d’Uzès wines are light and very precisely crafted. The vines grow on sunny slopes reclaimed from the garrigue, and are available across all three colours. They are all blends, made from the best Mediterranean varietals.

Produced in the southern part of Ardèche, in a bucolic setting where vines grow peaceably alongside olive trees and holm oak, Côtes du Vivarais wines are a perfect reflection of their terroir: rugged yet warm-hearted. The vines thrive in the soils of the Plateau des Gras, an area bisected by the spectacular Gorges de l’Ardèche.

The landscape has been shaped for over 15,000 years by underground watercourses, and hides a wealth of subterranean wonders, including caves, chasms and bubbling springs. The Aven d’Orgnac, one of the largest caves in the world, became a Grand Site de France in 2004.

In a bid to safeguard these wonderful gifts of nature without compromising quality, the wine-growers of Côtes du Vivarais invite wine lovers to discover their warm, generous wines.

With vines stretching as far as the Roman city from which they take their name, the Costières de Nîmes appellation vineyards provide a graceful transition from Provence to the Camargue, Alternating garrigue landscapes with views of the wetlands.

The vineyards, with 2,000 years of history, boast a number of outstanding features, including raised terraces of pebbles deposited by the Rhône and Durance rivers, the vigour of the Rhône’s classic grape varietals, sea breezes from the Mediterranean, and the Mistral wind.

Costières de Nîmes is mostly geared towards making making red and rose wines, with a much smaller proportion of whites.
The appellation has made pioneering progress in terms of environmental and landscape protection; 25% of its vines are now grown organically as a result of green initiatives launched over 10 years ago – the Costières de Nîmes Environmental and Landscape Charter being just one of them.

A quite confidential white wine.

A small handful of winegrowers continue to grow this relatively unsung but highly expressive varietal.

The Clairette de Bellegarde vineyards lie at the gateway to the Camargue, halfway between Arles and Nîmes. The area clearly identifies with its Camargue neighbours – both are enthusiastic about bull-running – but in Bellegarde, they combine it with the Provençal lifestyle.

Clairette de Bellegarde is unusual among the southern Rhône appellations in that it makes its wine from one varietal only, Clairette. This is a relatively uncommon grape whose history and genetic pedigree have never been fully established. To enjoy a glass of Clairette de Bellegarde is to open the door to a tiny, secret vineyard at the heart of Terre d’Argence, and finding a unique, exceptional wine.

What a story!

Generosity and character!

In the southern part of the Rhône Valley, the vines grow on terraces, on the river’s alluvial plains and on slopes leading up to the region’s iconic hilltop villages.

Vines have been grown here since Roman times, and now no fewer than 95 villages make up the Côtes du Rhône Villages appellation area. From Drôme Provençale to the banks of the Durance in the east, from the Ardèche to the Pont du Gard in the west, these villages are well worth a visit – you may even find your own hidden gems. There is an enormous range of Côtes du Rhône Villages wines; the style depends on the nature of the soil. But one thing is for sure, you’ll need more than a day to explore.