Domaine des Bernadins
There are some parts of the world where wine has been part of the cultural DNA for longer than most countries have existed.
The village of Beaumes des Venise in southeastern France is a perfect example of a truly historic wine producing region.
Here, wines were being made before even the Romans set foot in France, and over the centuries, viticulture has become the village’s defining industry and is the very essence of the way of life its people enjoy.
In Beaumes des Venise, we find the winery of Domaine des Bernardins, a classic French family estate which keeps the traditions of this special part of the country alive.
Domaine des Bernardins has been in the Castaud family for five generations, and each successive generation has added and developed the winery, making it the widely respected and celebrated company that it is today.
Tradition is important here: indeed, Louis Castaud (the grandfather of the current owners) was so concerned that the traditional reputation and time honoured practices of his beloved village was slipping in the mid 20th century, he spent 10 years tirelessly fighting singlehandedly for the appellation status Beaumes des Venise was granted in 1945.
Louis’ grand-daughter and great-grand-daughter now stand at the helm of Domaine des Bernardins, continuing to produce the AOC Muscat de Beaumes des Venise wines their ancestor fought for, as well as plenty of other characterful examples of what this stunning part of France can do.
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