Domaine de l'Oratoire Saint-Martin

The L’Oratoire Saint-Martin estate spans 25 hectares on the hillsides of Saint-Martin, where the oratory—built amid the vineyards—gives the estate its name.

Most of the L’Oratoire Saint-Martin estate is located northeast of the town of Cairanne, at an elevation of 200 meters on steep hills in an area commonly known as “la montagne.” These are steep slopes, with the steepest sections requiring the use of crawler tractors. The terroir is very stony, with yellow clay on the surface and blue clay deeper down, along with a very high percentage of active limestone.

Every aspect is carefully planned and considered to ensure a high-quality harvest and a deep respect for the terroir. The L’Oratoire Saint-Martin estate is certified organic and biodynamic; the vines are cultivated without pesticides, chemical fertilizers, or herbicides. The soil under the old vines is worked entirely by machine to incorporate organic compost (sheep manure) and promote deep root development. The grapes are harvested by hand and sorted first by the harvesters and then a second time on a sorting table. Vinification takes place on racks using the infusion method for the Cairanne wines and in closed tanks with pumping over for the Côtes-du-Rhône wines. Aging occurs in tanks, demi-muids, or large oak casks.