Domaine Boudau, Rivesaltes sur Grains, 2009

Created by Hippolyte Boudau in the 1920's with just a few vineyard plots affiliated to the local wine cooperative, the Domaine Boudau grew after the war. When Hippolyte died in 1940, his son Henri took over the vineyard and developed a cellar to produce wines independantly. During that period, vins doux naturels, Muscat de Rivesaltes and Rivesaltes were fashionable, well known national trade marks selling them easily to restaurants and cafés all over France. At that time the domaine produced no dry wines.

Henri Boudau chose to plant the Grenache variety in his vineyard enabling him to convert part of the domaine to a production of dry wines. He made his own vine selections in reputed Chateauneuf du Pape vineyards. At a time when most producers prefered high yeilding vine plants, he chose to plant this capricious variety, difficult to cultivate but capable of producing grapes of an exceptional quality potential on the domaine's well-adapted clay and limestone terroir. In 1967 Henri died suddenly leaving his wife Anne-Marie with three young children to run a 60 hectare domaine specialised in the production of Vins doux Naturels.

Today, their children, Véronique and Pierre Boudau, have returned to the domaine and cultivate their vineyard with the greatest care : with short pruning, the use of chemical products and fertilisers kept to a strict minimum, the soil is ploughed regularly and no weedkillers are used. All of these methods enable vines to grow naturally and ensure the best possible ecological balance to produce healthy grapes and rich, complex, harmonious wines.