Les Vignes d'Olivier

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Les Vignes d'Olivier 2024 'Deferlante' Blanche, VdF (Herault)	Login	—	In Stock
Les Vignes d'Olivier 2024 'Deferlante Original' Rouge, VdF (Herault)	Login	—	In Stock

Originally from Nice, Olivier Cohen came to winemaking by way of wine bars rather than vineyards. After graduating from law school, he worked at the influential natural wine bar La Part des Anges, as well as nearby Vinivore, where his growing passion for natural wine eventually inspired him to learn how to make it himself.

Olivier left Nice and set out to gain hands-on experience with some of France’s most respected growers and winemakers. His path took him to Corsica to work with the Arena family, followed by Philippe Valette in the Mâconnais, Frédéric Rivaton in Latour-de-France in the Roussillon, and finally Thierry Allemand in Cornas. These experiences helped shape an approach centered on thoughtful farming, careful observation, and minimal intervention in the cellar.

In January 2014, Olivier took over the vineyards of Bernard Boubal in the small village of Argelliers in the Hérault and produced his first vintage that same year. The vineyards were already in excellent condition. Bernard had been among the first growers in the village to embrace organic farming, giving Olivier a strong foundation from which to establish Les Vignes d’Olivier.

Today, the domaine encompasses 7.5 hectares divided among numerous small parcels surrounding Argelliers, not far from celebrated estates such as La Grange des Pères and Domaine de Montcalmès. The vineyards are planted primarily on clay-limestone soils and include Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Mourvèdre, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Most of the vines average 30 to 40 years of age.

Argelliers occupies a particularly cool pocket of the Languedoc. Despite its southern location, cool summer nights allow the grapes to ripen slowly while retaining acidity and freshness. Combined with organic farming and moderate yields of around 30 hectoliters per hectare, these conditions help Olivier produce wines defined more by freshness and energy than by the power often associated with southern France.

Following a devastating frost in his vineyards in 2017, Olivier began working with fruit sourced from trusted organic growers in the surrounding region. These collaborative, négociant wines are bottled under the Déferlante label, allowing him to explore vineyards and varieties beyond his own domaine. The grape varieties and parcels are vinified separately with whole clusters and no additives used during the process. No additives are used during vinification, and several cuvées are bottled without added sulfites.

Media Links:
Sprudge Wine: The Wines of Olivier Cohen: Burt Reynolds of the Argelliers