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Domaine de Trevallon

Domaine de Trevallon was created by Eloi Durrbach in 1973, although the property had originally been purchased by his parents in 1960 as a holiday home. The first vintage was not released by Durrbach until 1977. Located on the slopes of the Alpilles, the estate has grown to over 20 hectares today. From the outset Durrbach planted Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, which today still form the backbone of the Trevallon portfolio, although there are now also a few hectares of Marsanne and Roussanne planted, added in 1987 and 1990 respectively.

The Trevallon mantra is low yields, avoidance of chemical treatments in the vineyard - somewhat easier in warm, breezy vineyards of the Mediterranean than it is in more northerly climes - and Guyot pruning to just four or five buds per vine. The soils and nutritionally poor, stony, limestone dominated. The result is a harvest of richly ripe grapes which undergo very natural, non-temperature controlled fermentations, including the stems. Indigenous yeasts take the temperatures much higher than in many other of the regions cellars.

The principal wine at Domaine de Trevallon is a red cuvée, which is a 50/50 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Meat and drink to Australians, but distinctly unorthodox in France, and bothersome to both local and Bordeaux authorities. The latter are troubled by a source of high quality, ripe Cabernet Sauvignon from outside Bordeaux. The former by the appearance of this varietal in a local blend, and their response was to change the local appellation regulations, decreasing the amount of Cabernet permitted in AC Coteaux d'Aix vineyards to a measly 20%. Durrbach's response was to market his wines as VdP des Bouches du Rhône, thereby avoiding the AC regulations on encépagement, leaving him unfettered with regard to the addition of Cabernet Sauvignon. This has been the state of play since 1994, and Durrbach seems quite content to continue this way. After all, like Château Simone and Chateau Musar, Domaine de Trevallon is one of those rare wines that will sell regardless of what is printed on the label. (3/5/05)

Contact details:
Address: 13103 Saint-Etienne-du-Gres
Telephone: +33 (0) 4 90 49 06 00
Fax: +33 (0) 4 90 49 02 17
Internet: www.trevallon.com

Domaine de Trevallon - Tasting Notes

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Domaine de Trevallon (VdP des Bouches du Rhône) 1997: Showing early maturity on inspection, but with good depth of colour, and a little haze suggesting a very fine suspended sediment. Beautiful perfume on the nose, a floral-mineral-stony character with a slightly sweet toffee edge. Full, aromatic, appealingly bitter, savoury-stony fruit. Good grippy tannins, beautiful structure, with fine, balancing acidity. Elegant, maturing. slightly meaty. Great length. Absolutely superb. 18.5/20 (March 2005)

Domaine de Trevallon (VdP des Bouches du Rhône) 1995: A dense and dark wine, mature in terms of hue, but certainly not fading in terms of intensity of pigment, The nose is just lovely, a mix of youthful substance and notes of early maturity. The fruit is pure and dark in character, sweet, ripe, dusty and thick-skinned blackcurrant, tinged with elements of fig, black olive and truffle oil. Plenty of substance on entry, and this stays true through the midpalate which is imbued with a pile of extract, ripe background tannins and gentle acidity. It has a powerful composition but nevertheless a fine freshness with it, the wine well framed and very direct. On the finish, ripe tannin, firm and full fruit, with lots of tangible, tobacco-tinged substance, with little notes of black tea and roast meats. This is impressive; lovely now, in a very rich and big style, but still with more to give. Drink now or hold if you have some. From my 1995 vintage Fifteen Years On tasting. 17.5+/20 (December 2010)

Domaine de Trevallon (Coteaux d'Aix en Provence Les Baux) 1993: A densely hued wine. An interesting nose, with notes of beetroot, pickling spices, and red fruits with a sweet edge. Impressive palate - very fresh with its bright notes of herbs and red fruits, cut through with correct acidity. In the background there are more complex organic notes, like compost. Lovely. From a 1993 Vintage Ten Year On tasting. 17/20 (December 2003)