Domaine Hauvette

Dominique Hauvette, an extraordinary winemaker

The only daughter in a family of six children and a graduate in rural law, Dominique Hauvette spent the early part of her life between Paris and Val-D'isère, where her parents were restaurateurs. In 1984, she spent a month's vacation in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence; she never went back.

Four years later, she bought two hectares of vines near the Alpilles and learned the trade, little by little, "on the job", with the help of local winemakers such as Eloi Dürrbach (Trévallon) and Laurent Vaillé (La Grange des Pères). In 2020, Dominique was awarded the prize for Winemaker of the Year by the Revue des Vins de France.

Particularities of the Hauvette estate

Located on the northern slopes of the Alpilles, in the commune of Saint Rémy de Provence, between the two appellations Côteaux d'Aix-en-Provence and Les Baux-de-Provence, Domaine Hauvette is an estate of some 15 hectares of vines, producing an average of 40,000 bottles a year.

These 15 hectares of the plantation evolve on clay-limestone soils. Rich in fossil shells, these soils retain water, provide nutrients and give the wine texture and color.

Domaine Hauvette produces two red wines and one white. Cuvée Hauvette Cornaline, for example, is an emblematic Hauvette cuvée. It's a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, the three grape varieties grown on the estate, along with Cinsault and Carignan in the reds. The whites derive their distinctive character from the grape varieties from which they are made (roussanne, marsanne, clairette). In Provence, white wines are often made from the rolle grape.

Specific viticultural choices

Dominique Hauvette attaches great importance to the authenticity of the terroir, and has embarked on organic farming. In fact, since 2003, Dominique has opted for biodynamic viticulture. The aim is to adopt an approach that is closer to nature, in order to preserve as much of the estate's uniqueness as possible.

This commitment to organic viticulture is also reflected in the winemaking techniques used on the estate: total de-stemming, berry infusion, sulfur-free vinification... This demanding choice of organic methods obliges Dominique Hauvette to protect his vines over the long term and to implement tools that are both effective and respectful of the origin of the soil and the authenticity of the terroir, to produce, in the end, great red wines.