Domaine La Grange english

Of animals and men - The La Grange Tradition wines

Our predecessors at La Grange, the Sabatier family not only made wine, they also raised sheep. Even today old drystone walls and stone shelters for the shepherds bear witness of the sheep-breeding times at La Grange. There's even an old stable left.

We revisited this old tradition of sheep husbandry with our Tradition wines. Frisette, the first sheep born at La Grange in modern times takes pride of place on the labels.
We already wrote about the laborious rearing of our own little herd.

François and his son Raphael lovingly take care of all their charges, and this spring, we again had newborn lambs to enliven life on the winery.

Tradition Grande Cuvée Blanc IGP Pays d'Oc
A creamy white wine made from Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

Tradition Grand Cuvée Rosé IGP Pays d'Oc
The three varieties Cinsault, Mourvèdre and Syrah are united in perfect harmony. An striking Rosé, perfect for summer barbecues.

Tradition Sélection IGP Pays d'Oc
Merlot and Syrah combined to charming elegance.

Tradition Pat Bibal" IGP Pays d'Oc
Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre, harvested from our most valuable vineyard: Prat Bibal. Prat Bibal is a typical wine from southern France: Powerful and imposing with dark notes of berries.

Orphan at La Grange

Our sheep Susi didn't take her motherly duties very seriously: She abandoned her daughter Frisette. A surrogate father was found quickly, though. François built a small pen in his workshop and is bottle-feeding little Frisette.

The little lamb immediately understood that François is her new and most important care-giver; she follows him everywhere.

All others she tries to avoid. I'm just waiting for the day François will take his adoptee to the vineyards.

I was allowed to feed Frisette once but the little lamb isn't so much a fan of grandmothers, apparently. She returned to François immediately after the bottle was empty and together they went on their after-dinner-walk.

In honor of Frisette we will produce a new Rosé in our 'Tradition' line this year.

Now: Woollen socks from southern France

For a long time Languedoc was a very poor region. Wine, Olives and sheep raising were the means to earn a living for the farmers around here. During the summer months big herds of sheep were driven to the summer pastures in the Cevennes. The autumn months brought them back down to their winter quarters. The old sheep trails are still visible today.

La Grange, too, had it's little herd of sheep. The mangers are still visible in the old stable (la grange - the stable).

This gave our staff, and especially Raphael, who studied animal husbandry, the idea to raise sheep on La Grange once again... And off they went to the next garden centre to buy a garden shed, which was immediately transformed into a stable. I have been wishing for a garden shed for years, but the boss always rejected it for fear of gaudyness. Makes me want to be a sheep at La Grange! But, I have to say, a bit of luxury seems to be good for our sheep.

The five ewes are doing exceptionally well under the enthusiastic care of Raphael and François. This week they had to be shorn for the first time.

The sheperd took the wool away with him but I'm thinking about building a spinning mill here at La Grange. Our own wine, our own wool, handknit socks made from sheep's wool from southern France... I never run out of ideas. And while we're at it, we could also start our own silk production. We already have some mulberry trees, after all.