Domaine La Florane

The history of Domaine La Florane

Domaine La Florane was born from the merger of two family estates. One is very old and dates back to the 16th century, the "domaine de l'Echevin" which constituted what the Saint-Maurice vineyards are today, and the other was created by François Fabre in the 1990s, the latter giving it the same name "domaine de l'Echevin" before bringing the estates together by vinifying the wines in the same cellar since 2001, and then unifying them definitively in 2019 under a single name. The vineyards of Saint Maurice belonged in 1586 to Guillaume de Rouville, ancestor of the family and alderman of Lyon. The alderman was then the equivalent of the mayor.

Today, only the name Domaine La Florane remains, but the vintages remain distinct. The cuvées "Échevin" and "Guillaume de Rouville" remain for wines from the Saint-Maurice appellation.

Domaine La Florane is now managed by François Fabre and his son, Adrien.

The Domaine La Florane vineyard

Domaine La Florane covers 75 hectares, including 38 hectares of organic and biodynamic farming vines and 37 hectares of woods, olive trees and lavender, all spread over two terroirs: the Côtes-du-Rhône Villages Visan appellation and the Côtes-du-Rhône Villages Saint-Maurice appellation.

The vineyards conducted on Visan extend over 24 hectares, strewn from 280 to 380 meters above sea level, on a south-facing valley. On the Saint-Maurice side, there are 14.5 hectares of vines surrounded by woods, from 380 to 410 meters in altitude. The soils are clay-limestone, with a bed of rolled pebbles facing north/north-east.

The vineyard is conducted in biodynamic for the greatest respect of nature by taking into account the influences of fauna, flora and the stars. Preserving the environment allows us to create more natural wines that express more of their own identity, born from the specificities of the terroir. The vineyard is fully certified by the Demeter and Biodyvin labels.

Domaine La Florane's red grape varieties are as follows:
- The Grenache represents the emblematic red grape variety of the estate. It occupies the warm, south-facing plots.
- The Syrah flourishes on the plots close to the woods, on cooler land.
- The Mourvèdre is planted mid-slope, sheltered from the sun until mid-afternoon, thanks to the century-old oaks.
- The Cinsault occupies the heart of the wooded valley.
- The Carignan, planted from east to west on a very small area, adds freshness to the Domaine La Florane wines.

The white grape varieties are Viognier and Marsanne, historical of the Domaine, accompanied by Grenache Blanc and Roussanne. Clairette and Bourboulenc have joined them since 2013.

White grape varieties are grown at altitude. They prefer the north or east sides of the wood-lined plots, to benefit from shade and coolness.

Thanks to a terroir shaped for 24,000 millennia, the estate benefits from good soil aeration, which allows for efficient drainage that does not alter the nutrient alliance between earth and vine. The pebbles also help protect the vines from cold snaps, and the clay provides a persistent water reserve for the grapes as the heat rises.

On the climate side, there is a strong Mistral wind that cleanses the vineyard, seasonal rainfall (spring and fall), strong sunshine in the summer with warm temperatures, and a cold, brief sun in the winter.

The wines

The Je ne souffre plus cuvée is a fair blend of Grenache and Syrah. With a deep garnet color, this cuvée has an explosive nose of red and black fruits. The palate is crisp and mouthwatering, it's like biting into a bunch of grapes!

The A Fleur de Pampre red vintage is a typical southern Rhône blend of Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and Carignan. The color is a bright cherry red. The nose offers a bouquet of ripe fruit, and translates into a mouth with supple and round tannins. A wine that is easy to drink and calls for tasting!