La Patience
Mediterranean & Delicious
Quick facts:
Location: the village of Bezouce, close to Avignon, Southern France
Owner & winemaker: Christophe Aguilar
Vineyards: 100 hectares of their own vines, certified organic (AB, Ecocert) + purchase of grapes from neighboring vineyards (HVE sustainable or practicing organics)
Soils: pebbles and sandstone, loess
Main varieties: Syrah, Grenache, Carignan, Merlot, Cinsault; Chardonnay, Grenache blanc, Vermentino
Winemaking: indigenous and neutral yeast, vegan-friendly fining, light filtration.
Fun facts:
- This family estate, established in 1930, takes its name from a wild, aromatic Mediterranean herb called “La Patience” that can be found throughout the vineyards
- Christophe has more than 40 years of vineyard work under his belt – before taking over the family domain in 1998, he used to run a nearby cooperative
- His arrival at La Patience was a huge turning point: he made the domaine go organic in 2007, added a lot of new vineyards to it, and simplified the vinifications
- La Patience also makes From the Tank, Jenny’s very own boxed wine project – more about these uber-popular eco-friendly BiBs here.
Domaine de La Patience counts among the very first wineries Jenny started to work with back in 2000 – and it has been an eventful path full of growth on both sides! Christophe had arrived at the helm of the family domain shortly before that in 1998, when he took over the vineyard from his father and gradually started to change things in multiple directions. The most important was the decision to go organic in 2007: “I realized I needed to stop poisoning myself with the chemical treatments we were using, as I felt worse and worse when working in the vineyards,” he recalls the concerns that led him to this decision, together with Jenny’s support of the move.
Christophe also gradually grew the domaine from the original 15 hectares his family had: he now farms 100 hectares of organic-certified wines across the Costières de Nîmes and Coteaux du Pont du Gard, two neighboring AOCs with distinctive terroirs and a lingering scent of La Patience, the wild, aromatic Mediterranean herb that gave its name to the estate. “I’m really focused on the vineyards – the priority is to have beautiful vines and grapes, because then you have much less to do in the cellar. It really makes your life much easier. This is a journey that wouldn’t be possible without understanding your terroir first by seeing and feeling the link between what happens in the vineyard and then in the cellar.”
Oh yes, the cellar – the beautiful stone building from 1930, keeping the wines cool, has undergone a significant shift as well. Christophe has progressively changed the vinification methods, working towards a less interventionist approach with significantly less additives. “It’s good to be a companion to what nature has given us,” he explains his vision of making delicious, reliable wines without overtly heavy manipulations. The cuvées that Christophe makes for Jenny & Francois come either from his own (organic certified), or purchased (sustainable / practicing organic) grapes and, depending on the wine, are made with indigenous or neutral yeast, vegan-friendly fining, light filtration and as little sulfur as possible.
La Patience also makes From the Tank, Jenny’s very own boxed wine project – more about these popular eco-friendly BiBs here.
Chardonnay: — Back to the top
Grapes: Chardonnay, estate-grown & organic-certified
Soil: Loess (a highly porous mixture of sand & clay)
Vinification Method: fermented with a mix of indigenous and neutral yeast, vinified in tanks & resting three months in concrete. Light filtration.
Tasting Note: Pale yellow in the glass with a tart, fruity nose and dynamic mineral scents. The palate opens with crisp citrus and peach flavors that are boosted by vibrant acidity and heady minerality.
Pairing: Seafood dishes, hearty garden salads, grilled vegetables, soft-ripened cheeses, or simply by itself.
Merlot: — Back to the top
Grapes: 100% Merlot, estate-grown & organic-certified
Soil: Sandstone and loess covered with stones
Vinification Method: Bunches are destemmed and spontaneously fermented in concrete for three weeks. The wine spends the whole winter in concrete and is bottled after light filtration.
Tasting Note: Deep cherry red in the glass with purple highlights. The nose on this organic charmer is full of baking chocolate, ripe plums and sweet herbs. The palate is ultra-ripe with loads of crushed blackberry, plums and waves of garrigue-infused minerality.
Pairing: Grilled sausages, cured meats, veal stew and braised oxtail.
From The Tank – Vin de Pays du Pont du Gard
— Back to the top
6 x 3L per case
Soil: Loess (a highly porous mixture of sand & clay)
Varieties: 100% Chardonnay
Vinification Method: Vinified in tanks & aged three months in concrete.
Tasting Note: Pale yellow in the glass with a tart, fruity nose and dynamic mineral scents. The palate opens with crisp citrus & peach flavors that are boosted by vibrant acidity and heady minerality.
Pairing: Seafood dishes, hearty garden salads, grilled vegetables, soft-ripened cheeses, or simply by itself.
Great for serving by the glass, for parties, picnics, or for people who only want a glass of wine a day. The conservations will last much longer than bottles once they are opened and it is light to carry. The box also has a much smaller carbon footprint than regular wine bottles because of its weight, making it lighter to ship.
Nemausa Rosé — Back to the top
Soil: Old terrace (sandstone)
Varieties: Grenache & Syrah
Vinification: the grapes are direct-pressed and then vinified in temperature-controlled concrete and stainless steel tanks. Bottled in January after harvest after light filtration.
Tasting Note: “rosé de repas”, aka food-friendly rosé, as Christophe says. Rose peony color with a great aromatic of red-fruit richness. The Grenache offers freshness on the palate with persistent nectar on the nose, a crisp and fruity wine.
La Patience White— Back to the top
Grapes: Chardonnay, sourced from La Patience’s own vineyards (organic-certified) and Vermentino, purchased from a sustainable grower (HVE)
Vineyard: Old sandstone terraces
Making of: the grapes are direct-pressed, fermented with added neutral yeast, and vinified in temperature-controlled concrete and stainless steel tanks. Bottled in January after harvest after light filtration and vegan-friendly fining.
La Patience Rosé— Back to the top
Varieties: Grenache and Cinsault
Soil: Old terrace (sandstone)
Making of: the grapes are direct-pressed, fermented with added neutral yeast, and vinified in temperature-controlled concrete and stainless steel tanks. Bottled in January after harvest after light filtration and vegan-friendly fining.
Personality: Easy drinking everyday rosé for all occasions!
La Patience Red— Back to the top
Grapes: Carignan, Syrah, Grenache
Soil: Old terrace (sandstone)
Making of: the grapes undergo a short spontaneous fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. Bottled a few months after harvest after a light filtration.
Personality: crunchy and fruity, a truly chuggable red! Best served chilled, with just about anything.
From the Tank Red— Back to the top
Available in 3L Bag-in-box or as a 20L keg, this wine is great for serving by the glass, for parties, picnics, or for people who only want a glass of wine a day. The conservations will last much longer than bottles once they are opened and it is light to carry. The box also has a much smaller carbon footprint than regular wine bottles because of its weight, making it lighter to ship.
Grapes: Carignan, Syrah, Grenache
Soil: Old terrace (sandstone)
Making of: the grapes undergo a short spontaneous fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. Bottled a few months after harvest after a light filtration.
Personality: crunchy and fruity, a truly chuggable red! Best served chilled, with just about anything.