Visitors have the opportunity to experience the whole winemaking journey here at La Verriere. Harvest is of course an extra special time of the year in the vineyard and the winery, and guests are able to have a unique insight into viticulture and winemaking - quite literally from the grape to the glass. There are a variety of wine-related activities and workshops on offer at La Verriere throughout the year, catering for all levels of wine enthusiasts from novice to collector.
The Vendange (Wine Harvest)
It’s vital that the utmost care is taken to preserve the precious juice of our grapes so that we can turn it into our award-winning wine, so all our grapes are picked by hand and sorted by hand on a vibrating sorting table. Visitors can come and observe the harvest and be part of the incredible atmosphere at this time of year. We can also organise bespoke educational programmes around the harvest too.
A Unique Vineyard
This ancient site is planted predominantly with old Grenache and Syrah vines, as well as smaller quantities of other varieties: Roussanne, Marsanne, Viognier, Vermentino (Rolle), Cinsault and Mourvèdre. La Verriere lies upward of 550m – that's 1800ft – making it one of the highest vineyards in the Vaucluse, and in the South of France.
Our amazing altitude means a pronounced temperature variation between day and night. This slows the process of sugar formation inside the grapes, allowing for more aromas to build up in the grapes before they are picked. Altitude also gives us four seasons that are more distinct than in the temperate valley: we have snow when others have rain, which helps to kill off disease and bring natural nitrogen from the atmosphere to the soil - a vital nutrient.
Due to our idyllic isolation we don’t need to worry about neighbours’ polluting practices - the air is clean, the water pure, and everything here just pulsates with life. And when it comes to the harvest the vines are no more than 12 minutes from the sorting tables in our state-of-the-art winery.
Wonderful Wine Experiences
Let us accommodate your wanderlust for wonder… Taste the wines. Take a guided tour. Join us for a meal. Stay at the medieval priory. Attend a food or wine education course… There are so many ways to experience La Verrière. Our family and team here at the top of our mountain love to welcome individuals, couples, friends, groups, as well as families with children. We also enjoy hosting personal and professional events and we cater to a variety of languages and dietary requirements.
Helping with the Harvest
At certain times of the year, especially during the harvest, we recruit temporary help from France and internationally. Due to our high altitude we typically harvest approximately a month later than most of our neighbours, from around mid-September to the end of October. Although no prior experience is required, we appreciate extremely thorough helpers!
You don’t have to be a wine buff to stay at La Verriere but we offer the opportunity for you to get as involved in the winemaking process as you like – or you can just sit back, soak in the atmosphere and enjoy a glass of our award-winning wine! Come for an hour, a day, stay for a night, or much longer – we offer accommodation on a Bed & Breakfast basis, or you can hire the whole house. Call us on +33 4 90 10 06 32 from France or +44 (0) 7775 682090 from the UK or email reservations@laverriere.com.
