Our vineyard
Located at the heart the Mediterranean-Cévennes-Rhône triangle, on the fertile land of the Uzège region, our vineyard’s history is as ancient as that of the Roman province that came before it. The land was owned by the Barjeton Durfort family from the Middle Ages to the 19th century and was purchased by the Deleuze-Rochetins in 1820. Today, their descendants farm the property’s vineyard, which is conveniently located 3 km from the town of Uzès.
The wine cellar was built in 2006 by the architect François Privat. There, Baptiste Cartier creates beautiful wines that showcase the uniqueness of our sun-drenched terroir.
Our vineyard is farmed organically, with flowers, weeds, trees and shrubs left to grow freely around the plots. Insects, birds, small mammals and game have grown accustomed to the setting and live in harmony with the beauty of the rising and setting of the sun and moon against the backdrop of the Mont Ventoux and Cévennes Mountains.
When you visit, you will have the opportunity to sample our wines at the wine-tasting area – our red, with its violet colour, black fruit nose and hints of liquorice; and our intensely fresh white and rosé vintages.
Our terroir
Our vineyard grows at the border of the garrigue scrubland, on hillside soils made up of a thin layer of clay on strata of sandstone and hard limestone. These highly fissured layers enable the rootlets to access deep water reserves, from which the vines draw coolness in the summer, when the sun dries up the topsoil. Strong temperature contrasts between day and night, as well as mistral and sea winds, give our wines their unique typicity. The resulting wines are fresh and fine, rounded but not thick, with an intact fruit and strong local identity.
This beautiful collaboration between man and nature is expressed in each of our wines.
Our philosophy
All 23 hectares of our vineyards are certified ECOCERT – Organic Agriculture. We do not use any synthetic products on our grapes and in our wines – we have absolute trust in them and in our craft.
Out of conviction and respect for humankind and nature, our vineyard has remained committed to this method since 2009.
The vineyard’s land is weeded mechanically, using an inter-row machine that also helps us shape the vineyard’s rows.
As for disease prevention, we only use copper and sulphur, or Bordeaux mixture.
Our presence in the vineyard on a daily basis and our anticipation of weather events are critical in ensuring a successful harvest.
This approach is extended throughout the winemaking process by respecting our harvest and minimising any additional input during the wine’s maturation.
Our thorough and logical work organisation is what enables us to forego the use of oenological additives.
This choice is embodied in our wines and ensures that we keep our products as natural as possible, thus reflecting the characteristics of our terroir.
The Duché d’Uzès AOP designation
The Duché d’Uzès appellation applies to three wine colours – red, white and rosé – and covers a 307-hectare territory that includes 77 municipalities. Its average yield is 34 hectolitres per hectare.
To the west, the Duché d’Uzès appellation is bordered by the foothills of the Cévennes. To the east lies the town of Uzès. The entire area extends to the limestone plateaus of the Rhône Valley.
In the Uzège region, vineyards have taken over the garrigue and expand across sloping hills, growing alongside olive groves and truffle oaks.
France’s southern climate, with its hot summers and mild winters, is strongly expressed in our wines. The sun-drenched hillsides concentrate the juices of the grapes, while their proximity to the Cévennes Mountains provides strong contrasts between day and night. These temperature fluctuations, which are beneficial to the vines, give the wines their typical freshness.
The area’s predominantly clay-limestone soil offers a variety of formations, such as sandstone, marl, pebbles, scree and ancient alluviums. This variegated geology is what makes Duché d’Uzès vintages so unique.