The Ladybug Castle

Located in Domazan at the southern tip of the Rhône Valley, between the Pont d'Avignon and the Pont du Gard, the Château des Coccinelles covers 80 hectares. This estate has belonged to the Fabre family since 1928; Paul-Henri and his brother-in-law, Jean-Baptiste, took over in 2007. Today, we explain how this family decided to embark on environmentally friendly farming practices.

Three generations, one ideology!

In 1928, Gabriel Fabre, the estate's founder, built the current farmhouse with his own hands. Legend even has it that it was all made possible thanks to a cherry harvest. René Fabre was born the following year within these very walls.

At the dawn of his 21st year, René took over his father's estate. Mixed farming was still practiced: vines, cherries, and apricots grew all together. In 1961, he married Marie-Claire, who was notably in charge of winemaking. At that time, a woman running a winery was a rare sight.

A question then arose for René and his wife: how to be closer to our environment? This was the beginning of organic farming!

The first international “Nature and Progress” congress took place in 1974. It welcomed nearly 15,000 people and 170 journalists. Some time later, the first external audits enabled Château des Coccinelles to obtain the first organic certification, and the first labels bearing this designation were printed.

30 years before everyone else, the Château was avant-garde and they were right! As a side note, a platter of cherries was offered to the Minister of Agriculture at the same time as the first set of organic specifications.

Raymond Fabre took over the management of the estate with his sister Christine, who developed the marketing side. Their wines were produced in all three colors. Then Paul-Henri arrived, and it was under his leadership that the estate improved in quality and began exporting worldwide.

He decided to replant a cherry tree on the property as a sign of respect and recognition.

Discover all the vintages from Château des Coccinelles!

Discover the southern Rhône Valley with the Château des Coccinelles

The estate, which extends around the Signargues plateau, is distinguished by its exceptional geological history. Facing due south and exposed to the wind for more than 200 days a year, its uniqueness lies in the composition of its soil: more clayey at depth covered with rolled pebbles, the buffering effect ensures a water supply for the vines.

This key characteristic highlights the importance of balance in showcasing the finesse of the wines. Its Côtes du Rhône wines are highly regarded, with approximately 80 hectoliters per hectare produced annually by the Château and the Domaine.

All the wines are aged in tanks and nothing is left to chance: total destemming, pumping over and racking, temperature-controlled vinification, gentle pneumatic pressing…

In summary, vintages likethe 2021 red Syrah are unique and preserved.

Discover all the vintages from Château des Coccinelles!

Anecdotes from the Castle

To celebrate its 100th vintage, Château des Coccinelles produced a special cuvée without sulfur named after the double wings of ladybugs, “Elytra”.

By choosing the vino-lok stopper for his Signargues cuvée, composed of glasses, Jean-Baptiste Mangin noticed that this stopper significantly increased the aging potential of the wine.

The wines from the château are recognizable by a small ladybug affixed to the labels and are very present in France and are also exported to Northern Europe, North America and Asia.

Discover all the vintages from Château des Coccinelles!

From September 15th to October 17th, the Wine Fair arrives at Les Grappes!

For this September must-have, Les Grappes has been working hard for several weeks to create a handcrafted selection of our finest vintages! No more "we have nothing left to drink," replenish your cellar to kick off the new season and pair perfectly with your most delicious apple tarts.

For this special occasion, come and discover wines from French winemakers with fascinating stories. This selection is exclusively composed of our finest organic, natural, and biodynamic wines. As always at Les Grappes, we are committed to promoting direct sales.

Treat yourself and enjoy drinks with friends or family meals at home.

Enjoy wines from our 1200 winemakers listed throughout France, an opportunity for you to discover terroirs and stories! All wines are therefore delivered directly from the estates.