Sprung from the river Rhone, the Mistral wind and Mont Ventoux, AOC Ventoux wines will give your life dimension and spice. Mont Ventoux, the Giant of Provence – labelled "Biosphere Reserve" by UNESCO – and its foothills are unanimously renowned for their biodiversity.
Ventoux wines – red, rosé and white – defy conventions. They are free, bold and incredibly luscious.

Grape varieties :
AOC Ventoux wines are produced with the grape varieties of the Rhone Valley. For red wines, Grenache has roundness, Syrah silky tannins, and Mourvèdre and Carignan spicy aromas. The latter two varieties bring structure and potential to the ageing process. Cinsault – especially for rosé wines – brings a unique fruitiness.
For white wines, the associations of white Grenache, Clairette, Roussanne, Marsanne and Viognier give wines subtle aromas and an exhilarating freshness.

History :
The history of vineyards in Provence merges with that of the men who have grown, enhanced and developed them. Gauls, Greeks, Romans, Provençals, popes, emperors, kings... all have contributed to give AOC Ventoux wines their pedigree.
Though wine trade is proven to have taken place in France as early as the 5th century B.C., production had only been dated back to year 10 B.C.
After a potter’s workshop and wine pottery were recently discovered in the heart of the Côtes du Ventoux appellation,, the first wine production is now thought to date back to year 30 B.C.
Vine growing and especially the production of quality wine developed in France with the expansion of church land.
The Church especially contributed to the growth of the future Ventoux vineyards while the Popes were in Avignon. Throughout the centuries the kings of France had on their table the entire production of quality French wines. AOC Ventoux wines were not left out.
The early 20th century saw the emergence of the concept of Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée. As early as 1939, AOC Ventoux wines created a union to promote the quality and characteristics of Ventoux wines. They became ’Superior Quality Wine’ (Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure, VDQS) in 1953, and got the AOC on 27th July 1973.

Climate :
The Provençal climate of AOC Ventoux wines is Mediterranean. The sun is a fundamental part of it. The Mistral is inseparable from the land of AOC Ventoux wines. It prevents dampness, drying vineyards and plantations in record time.

Soil :
Mont Ventoux is classified as a Provençal-Pyrenean fold. The Vaucluse Mountains are a natural extension of Mont Ventoux.
These formations have evolved as a result of the orogeny (the building stage of mountains) of the Alpine peaks, the emergence and disappearance of various seas and the transition from humid tropical climates to much colder and dryer climates.
The highly contrasting topography of the current landscape (mountains, plateaus, valleys, in- and outliers, and hills) is the direct result of that climate change. Spanning over a timescale of -230 million years to the present, the substrates identified in the Ventoux area are mostly colluvium, debris accumulated over the years and resulting directly from the change in the geological formations of that time. More or less ancient river terraces are another major part of these Quaternary deposits. These are alluvial placers of sand, gravel and pebbles, covered with silt of highly variable thickness.
Furthermore, the sandstones ’Safres’ of Comtat-Venaissin (from Tertiary sediments), the ochre sands (Cretaceous), Oligocene soils and, more locally, the Triassic Barroux, also play a part in the character of AOC Ventoux wines.
With the Provençal climate and the multiple microclimates of the mountains, plains and valleys of the region, the rich geological variations of the Mont Ventoux area enhance the unique character of AOC Ventoux wines.