Domaine La Lôyane

The name La Lôyane refers to the lieu-dit where the estate was built, in Rochefort-du-Gard, in the Gard; it is said to evoke a territory once occupied by wolves. The Dubois family has been established there for four generations: the great-grandfather, who came from Lozère, became a winegrower in 1930, then his son Auguste founded the cooperative winery in 1950. The estate was created in 2000 by Romain Dubois and his parents, Jean-Pierre and Dominique, after taking over an old Lirac vineyard.

The vineyard covers around twenty hectares, divided into small plots spread across Rochefort-du-Gard, Saint-Laurent-des-Arbres and Saze. This diversity of altitudes, orientations and soil structures feeds the complexity of the blends. The vines grow on rolled-pebble soils, whose mastery the family claims: the grass and its wildlife are considered a quality complement rather than competition. A large part of the vineyard is planted with old vines, including a 150-year-old plot of Grenache classified as a Lirac cru. The grape varieties used are Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan, Cinsault, Clairette and Bourboulenc, for wines under the Lirac, Tavel and Côtes-du-Rhône appellations, including Côtes-du-Rhône Villages.

Vineyard management aims to be environmentally friendly. In 2019 the estate began conversion to organic farming, accompanied by extensive manual work: pruning, trimming and harvesting. The whites and rosés are harvested at night or in the morning to preserve their freshness, while the crus, the Côtes-du-Rhône Villages and certain plots classified as Côtes-du-Rhône are harvested by hand, with sorting on the vine and transport in stainless-steel bins to limit oxidation.

Vinification takes place in temperature-controlled vats or in barrels. The reds undergo submerged-cap maceration, the whites and rosés direct pressing and ageing on fine lees. Ageing, in 400- to 600-litre demi-muids and 225-litre barrels, seeks to soften the tannins; the wines are racked in spring, blended after tasting and then bottled at the estate, for around 60,000 bottles a year. Several cuvées have been distinguished in the Guide Hachette des Vins. The tasting room offers the chance to discover the reds, rosés and whites, as well as homemade jams and olive oil.