The Duseigneur family relocated from Algeria in the 1960s, starting over in the Rhone Valley with ambition, with the patriarch Jean taking over abandoned plots and planting vines in Lirac. With not much money and children to feed, he set about working the land to improve the health of the soil and therefore the vines. It was this traditional approach to farming, coupled with a lack of funds to purchase chemicals, that set the Domaine out on an organic pathway from its inception.

As per the family’s mission statement, the whole operation is driven by a desire to function harmoniously with their environment, honour the terroir and pass on the knowledge to future generations. Today, the Domaine is run by Jean’s son Bernard Duseigneur, who commands a total of 28 hectares, including nine in Chateauneuf with the remainder spread across the right bank in Lirac and Laudin. The vines are considerably aged across the board, averaging 50-60 years old, with some 135 year old beauties producing a tiny 800 bottles a year,

Under Bernard’s stewardship, the Domaine began practising biodynamic techniques in 2002, with Ecocert certification three years later, furthering the dedication to the health of their vineyards. – Suppliers notes