WINERY HISTORY
The Bernard family have a long history of farming in the Southern Rhône, having worked the soils around Gigondas and Vacqueyras since the 1800s. It was in the 1950s that grape growing began to take precedence on their property, with then-owner Maurice (grandfather of current owner, Philippe) prioritising the cultivation of vines for sale to local cooperatives. His son, Jacques, would expand the family's holdings, growing the estate to 50ha across some of the Southern Rhône's greatest terroir. It was in 2008 that Domaine la Ligière was founded as a winery, with current proprietors Philippe and Elizabeth shifting the focus of the estate to organic farming and self-production. Having built a state-of-the-art cellar in 2010, the Bernards continue to produce characterful, terroir-driven wines from their exceptional vineyards.
VITICULTURE & WINEMAKING
Found not far from the Dentelles de Montmirail, their holdings span 50ha across Vacqueyras and Gigondas. Sun-kissed and caressed by the Mistral breeze, these sandy-clay and limestone soils are the key to their characterful and alluringly complex wines. These exceptional sites, with their rich and unique soils, allow the Bernard's to produce complex wines with distinct regional character. Farming has long eschewed any chemical or synthetic treatments, with the domaine moving steadily towards biodynamics. Vines are an average age of 50-years-old, adding an extra layer of depth and intrigue to these already impressive cuvées.
These wines are not of an overripe, overexaggerated stereotype. Rather, Philippe and Elizabeth endeavour to craft terroir-focused, wonderfully concentrated yet elegant and savoury wines. Sunny and warm, their Vacqueyras offerings are ample, delicate, full of depth and ever so enjoyably complex. Their Gigondas wines benefit from the unique geology and climate of the appellation, producing full-bodied and well-structured wines of dynamic character.
GRAPE VARIETIES
Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre
