The history of the estate and our philosophy...
Explore the soul of our estate through a rich history and a philosophy based on emotions and sincerity.
Origin and transmission
1900
A local wine figure
Aristide Larrieu was the founder of the estate, and he bought his first vines in Saint Laurent de la Cabrerisse. A great defender of local viticulture, he twice held the presidency of the Cellier des Demoiselles cooperative cellar, and he continued, little by little, to acquire land.
2005
An unequal struggle
Armelle, Suzy's daughter, decides to take over the property with the hope of developing it further. The reality was quite different, and the collapse of wine prices combined with the need to make heavy investments to modernize the vineyard made the challenge impossible.
In 2013, it was the end of the field. Only the most beautiful historical plots and the heart of old Carignans remain saved from successive uprootings.
1970
A family story
Suzy, Aristide's granddaughter, further expanded the property with the help of her father Laurent and her husband René, in difficult working conditions. She will diversify the grape varieties and will accumulate 20 hectares, taking care to hold the plots with the best tenements in the village.
2022
The Renaissance
The conservation of these family heritage lands was too strong, and when the rent came to an end, the whole family mobilized to avoid the ultimate uprooting. And the crazy project of becoming a winemaker took hold, giving birth to Aristide Larrieu Wines, with old white Carignans as their flagship.
Discover our cellar
Our cellar is the small cellar within the big cellar! We benefit from part of the young ladies' cellar building allowing us to vinify our production in 2 stainless steel vats of 20 hl each. The cellar provides all of its tools, quay, press, bottling, in order to produce our 2 vintages with great attention and in an artisanal manner.
A love for white Carignan
A very old and very rare grape variety, Carignan blanc expresses itself fully in difficult conditions. Generous, solid and unique, it reveals itself when accompanied... just a little. He is a faithful, sincere and liberated friend.
A collaboration for winemaking
It is an atypical mode of production which was chosen by working with the young ladies' cellar. United around a contractual service, winemaking and aging take place following a permanent exchange and strict specifications, leading to the creation of an artisan wine with very small volumes within a cooperative cellar!
A special cellar
Express yourself, invent, identify yourself...this could only be done by creating a particular cellar, to create the most beautiful bottles in a meticulous and free manner, in the spirit of an artisan winemaker with very small volumes. The search for excellence is permanent.
A passion first
Browse the century-old vines, let yourself be carried away by the cycle of the seasons, hope for the most beautiful grapes, be amazed by the magic of winemaking, and finally hear yourself say “my god it’s good!” »… We never tire of it, in a family where attachment to the land for four generations remains a cardinal value.
Roca Dansaïre watches over the estate
Aristide Larrieu's wines are a heritage and at the same time an emancipation, between tradition and innovation. The daring bet of single-varietal/single-plot vintages produces unique products, having their own singularity, from one year to the next. The terroir, the climate and the winemaking remain masters of the game, without artifice or possible compromise. It is at this price, and by accepting these risks, that C 1617 and A 1368 were developed.
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C 1617
An exceptional plot
The century-old plot C1617 is located on a south-facing hillside, at a place called Taillo Pas, in the commune of Saint-Laurent. Planted in the old-fashioned way, cut into goblet shapes, the large white Carignans bear witness to the robustness of this very narrow plot of 70 ares.
It is rich in a mass selection carried out by the ancients, and flourishes on clay-limestone soil, not far from the La Nielle watercourse.
Can be very vigorous or even luxuriant if the weather is suitable, it must be contained, and the desired yields do not exceed 25 hectoliters/hectare in the best case. The transition to organic conversion initiated in 2022 transformed this vine, and brought a lot of life around this plot. It is monitored by the Roca DansaÏre…
At 1368
The family plot
The very small plot A 1368 is the plot of the heart of the whole family.
It's the one where all the little ones went to collect the good table grapes from forgotten grape varieties that are hidden among the Carignans. Located at a place called Cantaussel (bird song), outside the village in a remote corner and bordered by scrubland, it dominates the village as far as the Vivies cirque.
The old white Carignans over 80 years old from this 40-acre plot are very fragile, and resist time with courage. Yields are limited to 15 hectoliters/hectare, on rather clayey soil.
It is home to hares, partridges and wild boars, and the organic conversion initiated in 2022 has allowed many birds to come back and sing again!