The history of the estate

Château Vignelaure is located between the communes of Rians (Var) and Jouques (Bouches-du-Rhône) on a terroir at an altitude of 400 m in the Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence appellation. Vines have been grown in the region for over 2,000 years, having been imported by the Romans. It wasn’t until the late 1960s that the estate took on its current face and name, after coming under the control of Georges Brunet (former owner of Château la Lagune, a Médoc Grand Cru Classé). The name Vignelaure refers to the vineyard of Laura, the muse of the poet Petrarch.

The château was one of the forerunners of Cabernet Sauvignon cultivation in Provence, with the first plantings in 1966 (notably using grafts from Georges Brunet’s former estate in Haut-Médoc). The first vintage was produced in 1970, vinified exclusively in red, and was an immediate success. The first rosés appeared in 1992, and the first whites in 2013.

The first winery was built in 1972, and features stainless steel tanks, underground ageing cellars with oak tuns, concrete racks for aging wines, and a contemporary art gallery that marks the house’s second passion.

The legendary Eloi Dürrbach spent two years winemaking at Château Vignelaure before founding his own, Trévallon in Les Baux-de-Provence. He imported the Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah blend that he planted in 1973 and that would make him famous the world over.

Between 1986 and 2007, three owners succeeded one another, before the estate was bought by Mette en Bengt Sundstrøm, a Scandinavian couple who own Lauritz.com, an auction company.

Today, 50% of our wines are distributed in France in restaurants, including some thirty Michelin-starred establishments, as well as in exceptional wine shops, and 50% are exported to over 15 countries.

The terroir

In its current form, the Château Vignelaure vineyard covers more than 280 hectares, 55 of which are planted with vines. Classified as AOC Côteaux d’Aix-en-Provence, the vineyard is located in a cool climate with large temperature differences between day and night (nearly 20 degrees difference during the ripening phases).

Each parcel (La Grand Pièce, La Colline and Chantemerle) features several red grape varieties, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Grenache, Merlot, Cinsault and Carignan. The Merlot and part of the Cabernet Sauvignon are vinified as IGP Méditerranée. White wines include Rolle, Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Roussanne and Viognier (the last two being classified as IGP Méditerranée).

After being taken over in 2007 by the Scandinavian couple Sundstrøm, the estate began its conversion to organic farming, and today the entire vineyard is certified.