A taste of the Provençal sun
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The scent of lavender perfumes the air in the Provence region of France. Undulating fields sown with long rows of the purple-flowering herb are its best-known image. But Provence is also home to a tradition for making delicious wines, particularly rosé.
“Rosé wines are a Provençal speciality,” says Delphine Combard, Administrative Director. “They are known for their pure, mineral style and possess a surprisingly intense aromatic depth.”
These qualities are all present in the vineyard’s signature Cuvée Magali, which is named after Ms. Combard’s sister. “We also produce Cuvée François, named after my brother,” adds Ms. Combard. “We have signature cuvées in white, red and rosé to reflect the diversity of our wine-making expertise.”
All are made using grapes grown on the schist soils that are characteristic of the Provence region. Domaine Figuière makes use of its oeneological expertise to produce equally fine reds and whites as well as the more typical rosé wines.
“My father brought a wealth of wine-making expertise to the domaine when he took it over,” describes Ms. Combard. “He introduced a lot of new ideas and succeeded in improving the clarity of the rosé wines. Many of his innovations have been widely adopted throughout the region to really put Provence on the map when it comes to rosé wines.”
The more general quality improvements throughout the region this has brought about benefit the orginator’s business. “We have always profited more from the quality of our wines than from their organic credentials,” says Ms. Combard. “Nevertheless, sustainability remains a key concern for us in the management of our business and the creation of our wines.”
It has brought the Domaine de Figuière international renown with more than 30% international sales. “The environmental impact of climate change affects us directly, which is why we are focusing on raising awareness of what sustainable wine-growing can look like. We pay attention to environmental issues throughout the business.”
Anyone interested in finding out more can sample the Combard family’s wines in a newly opened terrace with views of the bucolic vistas that have made Provence famous.
