Château Landra, Organic and Natural Ventoux

SOLIS SOLIQUE VIRTUS SOLA: ‘The sole virtue of the sun and the soil’. This motto appeared on the bottles of Château Landra (Ventoux) as long as a hundred years ago.

A pioneer in the concept of respect for the terroir. Today, the estate’s wines are produced in keeping with the same philosophy.

History of Château Landra

Located south of Mont Ventoux, on the slopes of the Vaucluse hills, the estate covers 12 hectares. It is centred around a group of buildings dating, in their present form, from the late 18th century. Originally an agricultural estate belonging to the de Gérente family, the buildings were altered by one of its most illustrious members, Joseph-Fiacre d’Olivier de Gérente (1744–1837). Better known as the Baron de Gérente and for having sat in the National Assembly during the Revolution, he was appointed the first deputy for Vaucluse following the department’s creation on 25 June 1793.

Vines have been grown here since time immemorial, but it was not until the interwar period that a modern winery was established. It is here that the wines bearing the name ‘Château Landra’ are produced. Thus, almost 100 years ago, the region’s first private winery was established. These wines, already highly renowned at the time, rivalled their prestigious neighbours from Châteauneuf-du-Pape. And bottles of Château Landra graced festive tables. The bottles already bore the inscription ‘Solis Solique Virtus Sola’, which became the estate’s emblem.

In 2007, Cécile and Frédéric Renoux purchased the estate with the aim of breathing new life into this magnificent site, which had unfortunately been neglected for many years. From then on, their sole objective was to pursue quality in production whilst respecting the beauty of the site. They quickly set about restoring the vineyard: trellising, replanting, grafting… They then expanded the cellar, equipping it with state-of-the-art machinery. The restoration of the historic buildings took place following research into the site’s past, in order to gain a better understanding of its history and how it has evolved over time.

In the vineyard

Château Landra’s 8.5 hectares of vineyards stretch out at the foot of Mont du Vaucluse on Quaternary alluvial soils. These consist of pebbles and gravel: loamy-clay soils with limestone chippings. They benefit from exceptional sunshine (nearly 2,800 hours a year) and cool nights (due to the proximity of the Monts du Vaucluse). These specific climatic conditions help achieve a fine physiological balance in the vines. The typical grape varieties of the Ventoux region consist of Grenache Noir, Syrah and Cinsault for the reds. For the whites, Roussanne, Grenache Blanc and Clairette. Most of the vines are over 50 years old. The restoration of the vineyard began as soon as the estate was taken over: re-trellising, replanting and, in some cases, grafting. The immediate ban on all weedkillers, pesticides and non-natural fertilisers culminated in 2009 with certification as an organic farm.

In the cellar

The grapes are harvested by hand, with meticulous selection of the finest bunches. The harvest is carried out using small crates to protect the grapes during transport to the winery. Each grape variety, and indeed each plot within a single variety, is harvested and vinified separately. Each bunch harvested at peak ripeness allows the full expression of the character associated with its variety, age and terroir. Once vinification is complete, some wines are blended, whilst others are aged in barrels for 16 to 18 months. All the techniques used, from the most traditional to the most modern, pursue the same goal: to capture in the wine a palette as rich and varied as the different expressions found within the harvest of a single year.

Since taking over the estate in 2007, we have gradually phased out the use of additives. This culminated in 2011 with the creation of our first sulphite-free wines. Since 2014, all our wines have been vinified naturally: using indigenous yeasts and no SO2. Light filtration is applied to certain wines, particularly the whites and rosés. The Pur Jus vintages (white, rosé and red) are bottled without any added SO2. 20 mg/l of SO2 is added to the P’tit Landra, Landra Rosé and Château Landra vintages prior to bottling. All vintages are classified under the Ventoux appellation (AOP).

A few photos of Château Landra