Domaine Olivier Pithon

The Integrity Take

Olivier Pithion doesn't do things the easy way. He farms his grapes and makes his wines in the Cotes Catalanes, one of the windiest places I have ever been. The vines grow low to the ground, otherwise they would be blown off! In addition to his love for Monty Python, he moved to the farm with his cow, Lais who has since departed this planet. He now spends time with his pals: Hibiscus (the horse) and Popeye (the donkey).

Olivier is from a winemaking family in the Loire and settled in Calce in 2000
8.5 Ha of old vines and schist soils
Olivier has a fondness with Monty Python and his 25 year companion, Lais, his beloved cow

The Story

This exciting 9-hectare Domaine is situated adjacent to the great Domaine Gauby in the village of Calce in the Roussillon region of the Languedoc.

Olivier Pithon is originally from a wine-making family from Anjou in the Loire, and after spending some time in Bordeaux, decided to settle in Calce in 2000 after being introduced to Gerard Gauby by his brother, Jo, a winemaker from Layon. The vines are grown strictly according to biodynamic principles, and they are superb – elegant, complex reds; delicate, floral whites.

Olivier has one main driving force for his work. “I’ve had only one desire: to give everything to my vines so that then they give it back in their grapes and in my wine. You must be proud and put your guts, your sweat, your love, your desires, your joy, and your dreams into your wine.” This is the spirit, along with the unique terroir of Domain Olivier Pithon, that gives his wines their quality and uniqueness.

The Soil: Schist, Marl, Calcareous-Clay; White Grape Varieties: Macabeu, Grey and White Grenache; Red Grape Varieties: Carignan, Black Grenache, Shiraz, and Mourvèdre. The climate is Mediterranean with hot, dry summers, rainy winters, and moderate springs and autumns. With influence from the Tramontane wind, the local, gentler version of the Mistral blows from the northwest. It is dry, cold, and often violent, carrying air from polar regions. In summer, it brings clear blue skies and relief from the heat. In winter, it just brings frigid air.

Certified Organic by AB in 2002 and Biodynamic by Biodyvin in 2010, Olivier is passionate about respecting the land. His commitment to the living farm is evident in everything he does in the vineyard and in the cellar.