After 35 years at the helm of one of the largest French companies specializing in cashmere, Eric Bompard decided to turn the page and embark on a new adventure: wine!

Starting from scratch!

Five years after acquiring a vineyard , Eric is gradually beginning the transition. He fully committed to his project in 2016, with some initial apprehension, but which has led to real success today.
His desire was to become a student again, to start from scratch in a sector that was unknown to him and to create a new project! His attraction turned to wine since for him "vines need precision work", it is necessary not only to respect the environment but also to manage its risks.

One key word: organization

For Eric, the key word is organization; you have to use the right resources at the right time. Since he doesn't have a huge domain, everyone has a role to play, and that's why Eric wanted to create team cohesion from the start so that everyone could contribute.

Why choose the south? The diversity of soils and grape varieties, a steep learning curve, and a complete change of atmosphere! His choice fell on La Bergerie d'Aquino , a 10-hectare estate located in the Var hills of Provence, where Eric cultivates a multitude of local grape varieties such as Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, and Rolle! All are AOP certified! Eric is constantly striving to improve his wines and is currently looking for a new grape variety to expand the aromatic range of his blends.

On his estate, Syrah reigns supreme, with some vines over 40 years old! Thanks to this grape variety, he currently offers two wines. His first is L'Étoile , available in red, white, and rosé. It perfectly embodies the terroir, and the wines are crafted with the aim of creating truly unique wines!

His second flagship wine, La Bergerie in red and white, comes from the best plots, aged in barrels with excellent aging potential! For this, he is accompanied by Laure, his oenologist, who accompanies him throughout the winemaking process.

A switch to organic in 2019!

To show the utmost respect for the land and its bounty, Eric decided to convert to organic farming very quickly, and this work is nearing completion as his 2019 harvest will be officially certified organic! It is also with respect for nature that the estate includes about ten hectares of virgin forest, and for Eric, there's no question of touching it! The 2018 harvest was excellent, and Eric is optimistic about the quality of the final product. "We're doing the work of a jeweler; since we can't produce in large quantities, we have to be even more meticulous about the quality of our wines, like our rosé, for example!"

Eric is very future-oriented: "I don't limit myself to the next harvest!" For him, it's a constant discussion with his teams to best develop the estate through every aspect of the work, whether it's the vineyard or the wine.

Find Eric Bompard's wines at Les Grappes !

Léonard Pradines for Les Grappes