Domaine Gramenon

Michèle Aubéry and Maxime-François Laurent

It was in 1978, nestled in the Drôme Provençale, that the story of the Gramenon estate began. In Montbrison sur Lez exactly, Philippe Laurent and Michèle Aubéry-Laurent bought an old building, with a dozen hectares of vines, located at an altitude of 350m (hello the freshness of the wines). From this departure, the couple wanted to be as respectful as possible of the living, so they opted for organic farming. May know the rest of the story?

After the death of her husband in 1999, Michèle Aubéry-Laurent took over the Gramenon estate, and continued to produce wines, with an even stronger desire to pursue even more lively wines, free wines. A chance for lovers of Côtes du Rhône wines! We knew Michèle Aubéry-Laurent talented, she makes wines with great precision but not only. An artist at heart, Michèle also creates her own labels. Passionate about art since childhood, she compares her art to wine tasting: a moment of sharing, filled with emotions.
It was in 2006 that the family story goes on, when Maxime-François Laurent, son of Philippe and Michèle Aubéry, decided to join his mother at the Gramenon estate. In addition to joining the adventure, he embarked on a trading activity apart from his involvement in the Gramenon estate. Today, the estate is spread over more than 25 hectares of vines, all led by a master hand by Maxime-François, and (never) from afar by Michèle Aubéry-Laurent.

The soil of the Gramenon estate

The Gramenon estate first speaks with its soils. Its story is great and rich due to the sea that covered the land millions of years ago. Michèle Aubéry-Laurent explains that her vines are located on three geological singularities in the Valréas basin: Gramenon (siliceous sandstone and shelly soil), Valréas (sandy soil and pebbles, coated by a clayey-sandy surface), and Vinsobres (whitish clay and marl soils). Thanks to this diversity of soils, the wines of the Gramenon estate have very specific characters. Each bottle comes from an exceptional and unique soil, which gives rare wines, considered as “little jewels”. Over the years, they become more and more fine, elegant. The expression of the soil is pure, and at epi-curieux.com that's what we like; stories to share, and wines of emotions. To keep this exceptional quality of the plant heritage, Michèle Aubéry-Laurent and her son plant vines, which are rigorously sorted and selected beforehand.

Farming oriented towards biodynamics.

To respect its land, since the beginning of the Gramenon estate, the cultivation of the vine is turned into organic farming. In the continuity of this approach, and after the arrival of Maxime-François in 2006, the estate turned to biodynamics in 2007. Everything became certified in 2010 (Organic and Demeter). Respected soils, where the grape varieties of the Southern Rhône Valley of the Gramenon estate can express themselves freely. To leave the purest expression to the grapes, Maxime-François Laurent and Michèle Aubéry-Laurent harvest manually. There is already a sorting done at the plot; only ripe and balanced grapes are picked, to keep their freshness and energy as much as possible. During vinification, there is no input, no sulfur, fermentation is done under the work of indigenous yeasts. There is no fining or filtration during bottling. The goal is always to enhance each vintage, from each parcel, with as much purity as possible.
At the Gramenon estate, we exploit different grape varieties from the Côtes du Rhône; Viognier, Clairette, Syrah… But do you know the master of the estate? The Grenache, which extends over more than 60% of grape varieties, and with vines up to 120 years old. This darling knows how to express himself with elegance and freshness.

The Côtes du Rhône from the Gramenon estate

Moreover, the epi-curieux.com team has made a fine selection of wines from the Gramenon estate especially for you:
The wines of Maxime-François Laurent and Michèle Aubéry-Laurent are mainly red wines, but there is a white Côtes du Rhône made with as much freshness as the reds. There is the La Vie on y est bottle, with a blend of Viognier (mainly) and Clairette. This white is fermented in barrels, the malo is blocked according to the year, and there is an aging of 6 months in barrels. Lovers of white wine from the Rhône Valley, enjoy!
Then there are the red wines from the Gramenon estate, the 100% Grenache like the Poignée de Raisin bottle. The bottle with fresh, gourmet juice, thanks to a 15-day maceration in cement vats (partially scratched), then with aging for 6 months in vats. To drink young, in its ardour!
To remain in the estate king grape variety, there is the Côtes du Rhône La sagesse bottle, from older vines, 50 to 70 years old. The vinification remains the same, but the aging differs for this bottle. The vine offers more mature grapes to pamper, so there are 12 months in barrels, to bring more complexity. The pure expression of a lovely Grenache in your glass!
We no longer present THE emblematic bottle of the Gramenon estate, the bottle that forges respect, the one that comes from very old vines (120 years old), the Côtes du Rhône La Mémé. 18 days of maceration in vats for this aged Grenache (partially destemmed), fermentation takes place naturally. There is a slight sulfiting depending on the year, and aging for 12 months in barrels. Be patient, this wine deserves to be kept in the cellar for a while to fully exploit its potential.
At the Gramenon estate, there is La Mémé, but there is also La Papesse. 15 days of maceration in cement vats, 12 months in barrels for these grapes from 60-year-old vines, and here is a crisp and deep 100% Grenache!
Who says Rhône Valley, also says Syrah! The Gramenon estate also excels in this grape variety, with the Sierra du Sud bottle. Its profile is concentrated and spicy, but Michèle Aubéry-Laurent's signature is present; a fresh, digestible wine. The grapes had the right to maceration for 15 days in vats, then aging divided in two (vat + barrel), all for 7 months.
The Gramenon estate lets this lovely grape variety express itself in the L'Émouvante bottle. From old vines, this Syrah is one of the most dense and deep wines of the estate. Patience, it will be incredible in a few years.
And to explore these two grape varieties, the Gramenon estate has produced the La Belle Sortie bottle, a blend of Grenache and Syrah. Everything was vinified and aged in vats to keep its freshness and delicacy as much as possible, for a moment of 100% pleasure!

The wines of the Gramenon estate

Maxime-François Laurent embarked on a trading business as soon as he arrived. The grapes come from plots of a neighboring winegrower who also work with the greatest respect for the environment, and the wines are made with as much rigor as those of the Gramenon estate. Epi-curieux.com has therefore selected the Côtes du Rhône Rubiconde, from Grenache aged between 50 and 80 years. The aging lasted 8 months in half-muid barrels. A wine full of freshness and a lot of intensity!
As a blend, there is the Côtes du Rhône Il Fait Soif, made up of Grenache, Syrah and a touch of Cinsault. 6 months in vats to give maximum delicacy to this bottle of friends!
Mythical Côtes du Rhône wines, a domain that needs no introduction for purists, let yourself be tempted by this unique expression of Grenache.