Location: Rhone Valley, France

Built on a Roman Villa, the Domaine de la Bastide is an old fortified Templar’s farm with more than a thousand years of known records. Partly destroyed during the French Revolution, it has now come back to its original aim: wine making. The cellar was built in the late 1970’s. Total capacity is more than 75,000 hectolitres. Founders Bernard and Nicole Boyer were both brought up in families with a long history in wine making. After graduating in agricultural engineering, Bernard worked for 20 years in the farm equipment business. In 1989, they decided to return to the wine business and bought the Domaine de la Bastide. Vincent, their younger son, also graduated in agricultural engineering and is now the owner and winemaker on the estate. The vineyard is stronger than ever and Vincent hopes to make the farm fully organic in the near future. The Domaine de la Bastide is located in the Rhone Valley, 50km north of Avignon, in a little village called Visan, mainly on a typical stony soil of the southern Rhone Valley. Grenache is mostly present in the grape varieties but the vineyard is primarily Syrah. Other varieties are Mourvèdre, Carignan and Cinsault. White varieties are Viognier, Grenache Blanc and Rousanne.