Les Baux de Provence

The wines of the AOC Les Baux-de-Provence are produced in eight villages nestled on both slopes of the Alpilles. United as an association and recognized since 1995 by an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC), the winemakers of Les Baux-de-Provence have been united since their very first vines by a shared commitment to preserving their land—intact, naturally protected, and dried by the mistral wind.

Today, the Les Baux-de-Provence AOC is unique in that 85% of its geographical area is cultivated using organic or biodynamic farming methods. And for over ten years, the majority of winemakers have been calling for this distinction to be incorporated into their appellation’s regulations, which would allow them to become France’s first organic AOC for wine. The new specifications, approved as of April 1, 2009, did not fulfill the winemakers’ wishes, but the debate is ongoing with the INAO.

The wines of Les Baux-de-Provence are rooted in a terroir composed of very stony soils, in the form of glacis, alluvial fans, scree, or lithic gravel. The climate is Mediterranean, with mild, dry winters and hot, dry summers. The Les Baux-de-Provence appellation produces red, rosé, and white wines. Domaine Hauvette, Château Romanin, and Mas de la Dame are excellent examples of producers within the appellation.