Grangeneuve : a reference Domain in the Rhone Valley

Winegrowers’ Portraits Roussas

Grangeneuve

a reference domain in the rhone valley

Wine growers for several generations in Algeria, the Bours returned to France and settled in 1964 in Roussas, on the Domaine de Grangeneuve, which at the time consisted of oak groves and a few acres of wheat. The soil is of high quality and Henri Bour dashes into work of clearing, ploughing, in-depth land scraping and planting that are going to last for 10 long years to finally reach his goal: the vine.

It is thus only in 1974 that Odette and Henri Bour built their winery. Their initial plan was to sell their wine wholesale, but they began retailing bottles direct to customers in order to better evaluate their efforts on quality and the fruit of their labour. The reception is such as they quickly decide to focus their strategy on this axis.
In 1980, following the death of Henri Bour (senior), his wife Odette, with her daughters’ help, pursues with passion the work begun with her husband. With talent and tenacity, she develops Grangeneuve until 1998 when Henri, the son, arrives at the domain to take up the reins.

Henri Bour

The family’s wine making process then improves with a new process of ageing the wine in oak barrels, the planting of white varietals, and the implementation of a complete range of wines in Grignan-les-Adhémar and Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages appellations. Search for quality is more than ever the absolute priority.
TheDomaine de Grangeneuve consists of two zones:the soft sloping hillside of Grangeneuve and Les Esplanes, a plateau with an elevation of 160m. A recent addi­tion to the vineyard includes the Clairet vines, which are organically cultivated. 15 kilometres to the south, in Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux, the Domaine des Lônes also brings its own personality with a sandy-clay soil which is well suited for rosé and white wines.



A vineyard restructuring was under­taken from 1992. Today the planted grape varieties are Syrah (45%), Grenache Noir (45%), and Cinsault (10%) for the red varietals; and Viognier (65%) with Mar­san­ne, Roussanne and Grenache Blanc (35%) for the white ones. Culture is integrated, yields are low: 30 and 40 hl/ha. At the very transition between the North and South of the Rhone Valley, the geo­graphical and climatic situation which makes the originality of Grangeneuve gives its wines the elegance of the one and the fruity and sunny charm of the other.

The comprehensive range offers two white wines: V (for Viognier) and Les Dames Blanches du Sud; a fine and fruity rosé obtained by direct bleeding of very ripe Cinsault and Grenache grapes; three mid-range reds wines: Tradition, Tentation de la Marquise, coming from vineyards in organic farming, and Esprit de Grenache, the Côtes du Rhône Villages of the estate, stemming from vines aged between 60 and 80 years.
Not to mention the 3 Prestige cuvees from the best parcels of Syrah and Grenache. With these two varieties in equal shares, Vieilles Vignes is complex and harmonious, well-balanced. Terres d’Epices is a wine whose typicity and woody notes match marvellously the Mediterranean cuisine. Finally, La Truffière, single plot cuvee of the Domain, 100% Syrah, highlights the racy side of the vine and the nobility of the soil. Its 2010 vintage found favour with Philippe Faure-Brac, World's Best Sommelier.



A particular terroir, the love of wine, hard work and a relentless quest for
quality have revived the Domaine de Gran­ge­neuve whose cuvees are often men­tio­ned with praise in major national and international guides. Its wines are elegant, refined, supple and expressive.
A return to the land of France succeeded within two generations, and it will soon be the turn of the third one since Henri’s daughter Nathalie and her husband Gilles Hecquet are in place to gradually take over.
Dominique Peyral-Bon

O&H Bour sarl

Domaine de Grangeneuve
26230 Roussas - France
Tél. : +33 (0) 4 75 98 50 22

www.domainedegrangeneuve.fr