The story begins in the heart of the Rhône valley, in Suze la Rousse, at the beginning of the 20th century. While the Belle Epoque was in full swing, Alphonse PRADELLE planted the first vines on his land. From the 1960s, his son Raphaël and his wife Marie-Louise gave new impetus to the estate. At the time, already, without knowing it, the estate was cultivating all its vines using Organic Agriculture. In 1996, their daughter Bernadette Bayon de Noyer returned to the farm and created the Gravennes estate. She was joined 5 years later by her husband Jean with whom they replanted vines, invested in equipment and modernized the winery: the Gravennes estate took off! It is now the turn of the fourth generation to take up the torch. In 2011, Luc was the first to return to the “Maison”, after having accumulated wine experiences on 4 continents. Four years later, his passion for vines and wine pushed his older brother, Rémi, to leave his life as an engineer to return to the lands of his childhood, Provence. As independent winegrowers, together they perpetuate a family history while respecting common values: protection of the terroir and its environment, conviviality, constant search for balance and elegance.
Domaine des Gravennes sold wine only to local friends until the 1960s, when his son
Raphael, along with wife Marie-Louise, decided to breathe new life into the estate
by replanting the vines and increasing production. Fifty years later, Gravennes
experiences great success with a newly modernized cellar and viticulture practices that
emphasize the common values of the family (now in it’s fourth generation of winemakers):
sustainability, protection of the soil and environment, conviviality, and a constant
search for balance and elegance.
Domaine des Gravennes has been practicing biodynamic for over ten years and is in
the process of U.S. certification. With an average vine age of 30 years and a family
history steeped in the classic wines of the Southern Rhone, Gravennes produces some of the finest examples of
Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre in the region.
Terrior:
Surrounded by lavender and truffle oaks, the Gravennes estate is located in the heart of Drôme Provençale under the protective gaze of the Château de Suze la Rousse. An exceptionally generous terroir, conducive to organic cultivation and the production of lovely vintages. The land is divided into two parts:
White terroir:
Our white grape varieties, typical of the Rhône valley (grenache blanc, marsanne, roussane and viogner) are planted on sandy soils which bring finesse and freshness to our white wines.
Red terroir:
The etymology of Gravennes is Gar which means “stony place”. It is on this very particular terroir made of a mixture of alluvial, sandy and stony soils that our Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre vines produce fine, round and structured red wines.
It is the know-how of independent winegrowers, passed down from generation to generation, that makes our vintages unique.
Since 2011, the vineyard has been recognized in organic farming. Biodynamics is at the heart of our primary values.
Maintaining the woods and lavender around the plots is the result of the estate's deep desire to promote biodiversity and the balance of the Gravennes ecological system. The microclimate generated by this particular environment makes each plot unique.
Highlighting the qualities of the Rhône valley terroir continues in the cellar through the priority use of native yeasts and the care taken in our winemaking. Plot sorting is carried out in order to select the best vintages for the subsequent blending of our wines.
