We are in the Côte Roannaise appellation where the granit soils have a natural empathy for the Gamay Noir and Viognier grapes. We aim to minimise the impact of our activities by a series of simple but efficient ways of doing things (sustainable viticulture). Our approach to the wine-making is definitely hands-off to produce naturally made wines with a strong personality which reflect their terroir and with lower alcohol for the Gamay Noir wines.
More about our wines
More about sustainable viticulture and hands-off winemaking
How I became a winemaker in France
Before...
FROM an export sales manager in the textile industry...
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and after...
...TO a dream come true: running my own Domaine. |
A few dates just to put you in the picture:
1982 Graduation from a French business school.
Export sales manager in the textile industry which is why the Hawkins family came to Roanne, a well known textile town in the centre of France.
1990 A year at wine school in Burgundy.
First vintage from odd lots of rented vines.
Unsatisfied with an export sales manager's way of life, the decision had been taken to fullfil a dream: to become a wine producer. Was this the result of watching The Good Life on the BBC or having Decanter Magazine as my favourite bedside reading during my student days? Or was it simply the desire for a simple authentic way of life, working the land and producing wine?
1991 Purchase of Domaine du Fontenay. Originally founded by the priest Etienne Dubost in 1840, it ceased production in 1965 when the textile and metallurgy industries in town offered a better living than vines.
Since then, we have continually invested in new plantations and equipment to modernise the Domaine.
Of course, a good team is the key to making all this possible :
Export sales manager in the textile industry which is why the Hawkins family came to Roanne, a well known textile town in the centre of France.
1990 A year at wine school in Burgundy.
First vintage from odd lots of rented vines.
Unsatisfied with an export sales manager's way of life, the decision had been taken to fullfil a dream: to become a wine producer. Was this the result of watching The Good Life on the BBC or having Decanter Magazine as my favourite bedside reading during my student days? Or was it simply the desire for a simple authentic way of life, working the land and producing wine?
1991 Purchase of Domaine du Fontenay. Originally founded by the priest Etienne Dubost in 1840, it ceased production in 1965 when the textile and metallurgy industries in town offered a better living than vines.
Since then, we have continually invested in new plantations and equipment to modernise the Domaine.
Of course, a good team is the key to making all this possible :
Fabrice, our vineyard worker.
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Isabelle, my wife, who not only has to put up with me but also does the paperwork .
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Our two student daughters Lucy and Claire, who help us a lot.
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Calie, our Golden Retriever, who has the best job of all, just enjoying life!
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