About Domaine de Montvac

Domaine de Montvac represents a deeply entrenched viticultural tradition, passed down from mother to daughter for six generations. This long line of women has spent decades crafting elegant expressions of their estate vineyards in Vacqueyras, Gigondas, and the Côtes du Rhône. The winery’s roots in Vacqueyras date back to 1860, when Louis Avon established a cooperage and planted a small plot of vines there. Since then, the land has had a matrilineal succession, starting with Louis’ daughter Rose. Even though their spouses have had various careers inside and outside the wine industry, the family’s women have remained steadfastly dedicated to winemaking.

When current winemaker Cécile Dusserre assumed the helm in 1991, she took over 23 hectares of vines. Cécile started studying with her father, an enologist, in 1992, and converted the properties to fully organic farming. In 2020, her daughter Amélie joined the team, continuing Montvac’s tradition. The pair take a light touch in the cellar. They don’t crush the grapes—only destem them and allow native yeasts to start the fermentation. Trained in classical dance, Cécile continues to draw inspiration from motion, and her wines have come to embody a dancer’s grace and elegance. Most of their vineyards reside in Vacqueyras, where the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre can stretch their roots 50–60 inches below the surface. Pine trees around the vineyard shelter it from the Mistral wind’s fiercest gusts, while still reaping the benefits of the coolness they provide. Domaine de Montvac also tends to smaller plots in Gigondas and the Côtes du Rhône.