The cellar
de Cabrières d’Aigues
Founded in 1928, Cooperative Cellar of Winegrowers brought together from the Cabrières d’Aigues terroir has always wanted to highlight the high quality of its terroir and the products resulting from it. The stubbornness of its 36 cooperative members pushed this structure in 2008 to take a big turn in its organization and in its production orientation.
Enthusiastic and determined cooperators, 1 5000 hl vinified of which 9000 hl AOC and 328 hectares in production. The originality of the natural environment in which the Cabrières cellar vineyard is located is mainly due to the particularities of its climate and the nature of its soils. This very particular landscape breaks down in the background of the Grand Luberon massif, which culminates in the town at 1125 m. Lower down, an alignment of small summits of constant altitude (350 to 400 m), forms the natural limit of our vineyard and its terroir. Over the years, the cellar has acquired high-performance vinification equipment and tools to optimize the quality of our wines.
Phase
In 2009, a first phase of investment (with the support of France Agrimer) enabled to modernize the cellar by creating a precursor pressing workshop for the time (pressing under inert gas and total protection of the harvest against oxidation) and to orient production no longer on a majority of red but towards the production of very aromatic rosé and white wines (anticipation of current demand).
Phase
Then in 2010 a second phase of material and immaterial investment made it possible to equip the cellar in part with thermoregulation on concrete tanks, the creation of an inerting network on 100% of the tanks, as well as the epoxy coating of the tank entire winery. For the intangible part, an identity study and the creation of a range enabled the birth of “Le Temps des Sages”, our strong brand of a complete range of 14 products.
4 large families of soil
Deep Stony Soils (called PXX)
These stony, non-encrusted spreading represents 37% of the surface area of the vineyard. This is the most qualitative part of our terroirs. For the red grape varieties, it is mainly found, “Grenache black” and “Syrah”, as well as part of the “Grenache “white.
Slightly stony and moderately deep soils (called PX)
These sandy loamy spreading rests on limestone rocky banks and represents 28% of the surface of the vineyard. On this part, which is also qualitative, we find the same grape varieties as before, but also “Clairette”, “Viognier” and “Merlot”.
Deep soils at the bottom of the slope (called stony “Marne”)
These slightly richer soils represent 21% of the surface of the vineyard. We also find the same grape varieties here, adding chardonnay, chasan, ugni-blanc, roussanne and cinsault.
Deep plain soils
These marls and alluvium represent 14% of the vineyard. This is the heart of our wines.
The cellar today
Today the cellar and its products (bulk and packaged) have made a name for themselves synonymous with quality and consistency. The remuneration of our cooperators increased by 75% in PDO and 170% in IGP between the 2011 harvest and the 2018 harvest. An important certification work has also been launched with to date, an ISO 9001 certification of the cellar, the establishment of an EIG for several operators, the creation of an area for washing and treatment of phytosanitary effluents for all our cooperators and the achievement in the process of certification of 20 farms in HVE 3 (High Environmental Value).
A story of passion
“I have a passion for Provence since my childhood, when we came with my sisters and my parents. I have traveled a lot for my business and for the pleasure of traveling the world, but I must say that the place where I feel the best is here, in Saint-Médard, with my wife and my children, in the middle of the vineyards and surrounding woods. Making wine in this area is not a hobby: I am an entrepreneur and I like to build and produce. In 10 years, I learned a lot thanks to the advice and the know-how of the winegrowers around me.
I am very proud of the wines we produce and I have no doubt that we will continue our journey towards excellence.”
