On the outskirts of the village of Cuers, Château Gairoird is a 45ha certified organic domaine belonging to an old Provençal noble family – the Counts of Pierrefeu – but is not at all ostentatious. Olivier Duffort, the current count, is a quiet and thoughtful man and Château Gairoird has established a reputation for its own bottled wines, having previously sold its wines in bulk. The climate here is Mediterranean, as you would expect, but the vines are kept cool and dry by the Mistral that blows through the vineyards. The terroir is classic Provence with free-draining, chalky-clay soil dotted with galets and, with wonderful echoes of Jean de Florette, the Château has its own ‘source.’

Not only does Château Gairoird farm its vineyards organically out of respect for the soils and environment, but since 2015 all the estate’s winemaking activity is also fully organic and ECOCERT certified.