L'ORÉE

In 2002 Isabelle Mongeart decided to make a lifestyle change and take up a completely different career as a vigneronne. She and her husband Christian Marbler had fallen under the spell of the rather magical place that is le Clos des Nines, a little property of around 10 hectares of existing vines and olive trees, which they named after their three daughters ('nines' in the old 'langue d'Oc').

There are clay-limestone slopes with scattered oyster fossils, and two parcels on red stony soils. The youngest vines were planted in 2008 whilst the Carignan and Alicante are over 80 years old. Yields are naturally low, from 30 to 40 hectolitres/hectare. The site is in an elevated position above the plain which leads to Sête on the coast, which can be seen on the horizon.