Cave de L'Ormarine

The Languedoc-based Cave coopérative de Pinet began its modern history with a consensus based on solidarity. In 1922, on May 30 and June 15, two letters from the Ministry of Agriculture formalized the creation of the Association de Producteurs Traditionnels de Vin Blanc de Pinet and the Cave Coopérative. In 1992, to mark its 70th anniversary, the cooperative officially launched the Cave de L'Ormarine brand, followed by the creation of the Cave de L'Ormarine public limited company, which subsequently obtained the Picpoul de Pinet AOC. Today, it includes the wineries of Cournonterral, Pinet and Villeveyrac.

The winegrowers of Pinet pioneered the vinification and marketing of Picpoul de Pinet. This wine is made from a noble grape variety first called Piquant-Paul, Picapulla, then Piquepouille, and is now known as Piquepoul. The Cave de l'Ormarine now has almost 400 cooperative members and a surface area of 2,100 hectares, most of which is AOC white, made from a single grape variety, "Piquepoul". The terroir consists mainly of clay-limestone plateaus, rich in Cretaceous limestone and laden with quartz pebbles. To the north, they are dominated by limestone hills dating from the Jurassic period. The Mediterranean climate is accentuated by lower rainfall and higher temperatures than the national average, which play an important role in the health of the grapes.