Ferme des Arnaud: Two Organic Winemaker Brothers in the Rhône

Organic since 1978, Ferme des Arnaud is a family-run estate that has been passed down from generation to generation since the 1940s. For Martial and Samuel, the third generation to run the vineyard, 2016 is a pivotal year: it will be their first full year of winemaking.

La Ferme des Arnaud (Rhône Valley): an organic winery since 1978

In 1940, our grandfather Papé Yves planted the estate’s first vines on land that had been abandoned during the war. After World War II, he founded a cooperative winery. When, a few years later, our father joined him at the estate, they made a decision that would change the estate’s history: together, they decided to convert the vineyard to organic farming. By 1978, after many years of hard work, they had converted the entire estate to organic farming. Although he was long considered a crackpot by his neighbors, our father is now clearly a pioneer of organic farming. The years passed, and in 2008, my younger brother Martial took over the estate, and I joined him a few years later, in 2013.

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Samuel Arnaud: “The earth, plants, and people… We are part of the living world, and we have to know how to adapt.”

Martial, my younger brother, is completely obsessed with wine: he lives, eats, and sleeps wine… With a background in oenology, he headed all the way to New Zealand to hone his skills and pursue his passion. As for me, I have a degree in control engineering, and I was living in Haute-Savoie with my family. In 2008, Martial took over the family estate, and I decided to follow him a few years later. I left a stable, well-paying job to bring my whole family to the vineyard and learn the life of a farmer. And I’ll admit it: it’s hard. The work is harder, the income is lower, but the children are growing up in the vineyards, and our work is far more rewarding because we’re working with living things.

Today, for example, we had to switch a few hectares bordering the estate back to sustainable farming practices to prevent the spread of flavescence dorée, a disease that affects the region’s vines. Organic farming is very effective as a preventive measure, but far less so when a virus strikes. So we always have to adapt and find solutions, and that’s what we love about it. Some might call these constraints, but we see things differently… We are clearly part of a living ecosystem: the land, the plants, and people, and we have to adapt. If we want to ensure the long-term future of our estate and continue to make a living from our work, we must sacrifice a little of our organic philosophy today so as not to lose everything.

Our Estate's Favorite Cuvées:

Entre Nous 2021: A ruby color, with fruity aromas and a hint of licorice, along with relatively fine tannins. A delicate wine with a lovely finish.

Remember 2020: A deep purple color with spicy, woody, and slightly toasty aromas. A wine with beautiful complexity.

S'Kiss - 2021: A velvety, ultra-fruity wine with a strong raspberry aroma.

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The Future of the Arnaud Farm and Their Côtes du Rhône: Diversification

Our medium-term goal is to leave the cooperative winery and build our own winery, so that we can better showcase the results of our daily work. Today, of the 15 hectares we own, only 20% are under cultivation. In 2016, our first full year of winemaking, we will produce 25,000 bottles. With this new project, we hope to produce 48,000 bottles within five years.

We have a clear vision of the future, and diversification is our only hope. As a committed company, we prioritize short supply chains such as those offered by lesgrappes.com or La Ruche Qui Dit Oui.

La Ferme des Arnaud produces not only Côtes du Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Village, and Vacqueyras wines, but also AOC Nyons olives, olive oil, table grapes, and grape juice, which is highly regarded. In fact, we won the gold medal at the general competition again this year!

Martial came up with the idea of hosting an event in the vineyards, which was a huge success last year, and we’re doing it again this summer. We’ve set up a stage in the middle of the vineyards, and every Thursday evening we’re hosting free concerts. With a view of Mont Ventoux, guests can enjoy the estate’s wines and a platter of regional charcuterie. Will you come see us this summer?

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