Caravinsérail
Facts and wines
LES VIGNÈRES (SOUTH HONE)
Négociant: Wine merchant who buys wines, must or grapes from winegrowers, in order to make his own wine and sell it under his own name. Purchase of wines from winegrowers in the area around Mont Ventoux. Production approx. 150,000 fl. per year. Founded: 2002 Responsible: Xavier Logette Cultivation methods: organic Profile: Small négociant house specializing in wines from the Ventoux area. High value-for-money. Style: Dark, modern easy-drinking wines with depth and nuances.
Red wine
- Ventoux “Cascavel” 2015: 40% Grenache 30% Syrah 30% Carignan
- CDR Villages Sablet “Cascavel” 2015: 60% Grenache 20% Syrah 15% Mourvèdre 5% Cinsault
- Galets & Chênes Truffiers – AOP Cotes du Rhône rouge 2017: 70% Grenache 15% Mouvedre 15% Syrah
- Vacqueyras “Cascavel” 2015: 70% Grenache 20% Mouvedre 10% Syrah
- Châteaneuf du pape rouge Les Terroirs des papes 2014: 80% Grenache 15% Syrah 5% Mouvedre
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Luberon Blanc “Cascavel” 2015 Clairette: 38%, Ugni blanc
38%, Grenache blanc 19%,
Rolle (Vermentino) 5%
- Côteaux d'Aix Rosé “Cascavel” 2017: Grenache 85%, Syrah 15%
Small wine company based in Ventoux
The house Caravinsérail et en lille négociant [: Wine merchant who buys wines, must or grapes from winegrowers, to make his own wine and sell it under his own name :] based in Les Vignères, 20 km southeast of the city of Avignon. Caravinsérail specializes in wines from the Ventoux area, a district named after the almost 2,000 m high mountain Mont Ventoux or "Provence's Giant", as it is also called.
Caravinsérail was founded in 2002 with the aim of spreading awareness of this still too unknown wine region, which produces some extremely interesting wines – not least when you take the low prices into account. The house does not own vineyards and does not produce any grapes, but instead buys wines from a handful of carefully selected winegrowers and markets them under its own label.
This is a classic négociant model, where an actor with market expertise buys the goods from those who are good at producing them, but do not necessarily have the sales opportunities or the desire to do so. Caravinsérail differs from many other négociants by its small size (only approx. 150,000 fl. / per year) and its focus from the start on the Ventoux area, which is based on the very strong local expertise of the founders.
Caravinsérail offers a range of wonderful wines – from the charming and uncomplicated to the more ambitious – which perfectly illustrate what Ventoux has to offer: intense southern wines with a fresh and balanced character at very attractive prices.
Ventoux – an attractive area with excellent, balanced wines at low prices
The freshness of the wines comes from the cool air currents created by the high mountain. In a period of significant climate warming, when many wines from Southern France and Southern Europe in general have challenges with high alcohol percentages and heaviness, the freshness of the wines from Ventoux is a great advantage for these wines.
The extremely attractive prices are not due to a lack of quality, but probably mostly – still today and despite undeniable commercial successes – a lack of knowledge of the area and its potential as well as a lack of a clear image among consumers and opinion makers. The best wines from here therefore constitute (while they last) some of the best value-for-money in the entire Rhône valley.
Caravinsérail – a house under change
We have had the pleasure of working with Caravinsérail since 2004 and have had considerable success with their wines, among other things, on the restaurant market. We also happen to have a small influence on its history. During a dinner in Copenhagen in 2013, where we had invited him and a few others, the current owner told us that he wanted to sell the company. Also sitting at the table was Xavier Logette, who is the export manager for another of our suppliers, Château Gigognan in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The two sounded good together, and after a few years of collaboration, Xavier Logette has taken over Caravinsérail.
This will mean some interesting changes for the house, which will expand its range with wines from several other places in the southern Rhône and in Provence, as well as an even greater focus on organic wines.
It will therefore be exciting to follow Caravinsérail's development in the coming months and years.