In the hills of the Provence countryside, near Brignoles, in the small village of Correns, the Domaine Saint Andrieu was acquired in 2003 by Jean-Paul and Nancy Bignon, owners of Château Talbot, cru-classé de Saint Julien in Médoc.
Bordered by the foothills of the Alps, the Domaine offers a majestic landscape in a countryside protected from urban planning and completely intact. A paradise for many plant and animal species, the area also has many wine-growing assets, such as numerous springs including the eponymous Saint Andrieu spring, and an elevation which reaches 380m with a continental-like micro climate.
Vineyard grow on 26 hectares, with plots spread out over plateaus forming terraces selected for the quality of the soil, which is composed primarily of clay on limestone.
Won over by the beauty of the property and conscious of its immense potential, Jean-Paul and Nancy Bignon assisted by Grégory Guibergia - the head of the Domaine and Château Talbot's technical teams, started an ambitious renovation and restructuring program for Saint Andrieu. Since acquiring the Domaine, the cellars used for wine-making and aging have been entirely refurbished and outfitted with equipment suitable for modern vinification (temperature-control devices, stainless steel vats, etc). In addition, the eighteenth-century Bastide was completely remodelled by specialized builders and craftsmen in the purest provençal style.
Situated in the heart of the Var department, the Domaine is entitled to two major appellations (guarantees of origin), Côtes de Provence and Côteaux Varois, which refer to red, white and rosé wines. A portion of the production is also sold as Vin de Pays.
The rosé and white wines are made from traditional Provence grapes and are characterized by very pure fruit, light roundness, and a certain sharpness which renders them fresh and thirst-quenching. The red wines, produced with a variety of grapes including Syrah, Mourvédre, Grenache and Cinsault are of good stock. They emit notes of spices, violets and blackberries in a "very Rhodanian" style.
The Domaine Saint Andrieu also produces olive oil.