The Producer
The Domaine de Trévallon was founded in the early 1970s by Éloi Dürrbach in Saint-Étienne-du-Grès, in the heart of the Alpilles massif. A trained painter and the son of sculptor René Dürrbach, Éloi Dürrbach is convinced of the winemaking potential of this terroir, which was then largely covered with scrubland. From the very first plantings, he makes the bold choice to combine Cabernet Sauvignon with Syrah, an unprecedented blend in Provence. This decision leads to the rejection of the Baux-de-Provence appellation, whose specifications limit the proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon. True to his vision, he prefers to market his wines as Vin de Pays, and later under the IGP Alpilles, rather than alter their identity. Thanks to their elegance, freshness, and extraordinary aging potential, the wines of Trévallon quickly establish themselves among the finest wines of southern France and gain international acclaim.
The Domaine de Trévallon covers about twenty hectares of vines planted on the northern slope of the Alpilles, in a preserved environment where garrigue, olive trees, and oak forests alternate. The soils consist of limestone scree, very draining white rocks, and clays, forcing the roots to dive deep to draw water and mineral elements. The Mediterranean climate is tempered by altitude and the action of the mistral, which naturally purifies the vineyard and promotes a slow maturation of the grapes. The estate primarily cultivates Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah for its iconic red wine, as well as Marsanne and Roussanne for its white wine. Since its creation, viticulture has been conducted with deep respect for natural balances, without herbicides or synthetic products, while low yields and minimally interventionist winemaking allow for the preservation of the full expression of the Alpilles terroir.
Since the passing of Éloi Dürrbach in 2021, the Domaine de Trévallon has been run by his children, Antoine Dürrbach and Florence Dürrbach, who faithfully continue the family legacy. The philosophy of the estate remains unchanged: to preserve the identity of the wines, limit interventions both in the vineyard and in the cellar, and produce cuvées capable of lasting through the decades. Despite a constantly growing global demand, production remains deliberately confidential in order to maintain a high level of quality. Today, the Domaine de Trévallon is considered an essential reference in French viticulture, illustrating that a great wine can break free from the conventions of an appellation to fully express the personality of its terroir.
The Wine
The harvest is manual. Whole clusters ferment without destemming, without added yeast or sulfur. The aging takes place slowly, over two years, in large casks of 25 to 35 hl.
Light sulfiting accompanies this long rest; racking occurs at the end of the first winter, then blending in the autumn of the second year. Fining is done with fresh egg white, two months before bottling. The wine is not filtered.
Tasting
"After aeration, hints of fennel and chocolate appear. The palate is fresh, good length in the mouth. Elegance. A sensation of drinking an old Burgundy. Hard to know how it will evolve."
Tasting November 2007 in South Africa by Remington Norman.