Discover a unique wine estate in Provence

At 400 m altitude, our estate experiences a range of temperatures day and night which is particularly beneficial for producing wines—both whites and reds—with excellent ageing potential. Set within an ancient volcanic crater, the estate benefits from a mix of soil types so each variety of grape can be planted where it thrives best. Basalt, limestone, clay-limestone and marl make up the diversity of terroirs found on the estate.

Growing on 12 hectares with north-eastern exposure, the selected parcels overlook the Durance River and face towards Luberon and the Saint-Victoire mountains. The daily labours on this small enclosed vineyard are done with painstaking attention, from vine to glass. The farming practices used, unique compared to the rest of the appellation, produce wines showing real typicity, a unique signature in Provence.

Our first almond trees were planted on the Beaulieu estate seven years ago creating a seven-hectare almond grove of Ferragnes and Lauranne almond varieties which are adapted to our region. A long-time proponent of integrated agriculture for its vineyard, the estate applies the same strict standards of quality to its almond crop.

The trees are pruned in December and January.

Flowering starts in late February and a hundred bee hives are installed around the grove to promote pollination.
The almonds are harvested in September. Our almonds are partially sold in-shell.

Our truffle grove extends across 4.5 hectares planted with 800 trees (downy oaks, green oaks) that have been mychorised (with Tuber melanosporum).

The grove was planted in 2009 around several old trees that were already producing truffles and a handful of vine stocks and other native plant species.

While a truffle oak can produce for about 50 years, the first truffles are not yielded for at least the first 10-12 years.

On the estate, the cavage* is carried out by a Border Collie dog specially trained for the job. *French term for truffle hunting from the French word creuser meaning ‘to dig a hole’.

Fresh truffles from the estate are sold by special order and in our shop.

Through its already two-year partnership with the OFA (French Apicology Observatory)*, Villa Baulieu has about  a hundred hives dotted around the almond grove through the year. These bees pollinate the almond trees which in 2018 meant that the estate was able to produce polyfloral honey for the first time.

Our polyfloral honey, a yellow honey with a pronounced taste with a mix of aromas and flavours, is obtained from the honeydew or nectar of various plant species, including: thyme, rosemary, savory, white truffle, bramble, canary clover, gorse, lavender and the almond tree.

*What is the OFA?
The OFA is a bee-keeping research centre for selection and breeding. It also includes a research centre and a vocational training centre. The OFA told the European Parliament it aims to create 30,000 new bee-keepers in Europe and 10 million new bee colonies by 2025. It is behind the international ‘flowers for bees’ campaign.