DOMAINE DE VAL D’ARENC

Gérald Damidot’s is  one of the top terroirs in all of Bandol, situated in the mountain pass, Quartier Val d’Arenc.  Comprised of 25 hectares, of vines with western exposure, capturing all the rays of ideal, late-day sun.  Clay-limestone soils interspersed with marl and fossils. Since Gérald took over, he has changed many of the practices in the vineyard with the goal of becoming totally organic. All the work is done manually: de-budding, canopy management, working the soil and harvesting. 

The man-made, 2-sided stone retaining walls are referred to in the Provence area as “restanques.” These are an effective means of combating erosion caused by the significant deforestation of previous centuries, which, along with the sloping nature of the area, make it extremely difficult to cultivate.