“When I was little, I used to go with my father to the estate. Even then, that road… I had the feeling it was the end of the world. He used to tell me there was Ali Baba’s cave on the way up. It was wonderful.”
Madeline Ferran Vacheron’s memories ring true to reality. To reach the Domaine des Escaravailles (“the scarab beetles”), at an altitude of 350 meters, every bend in the road reveals woods, hillsides, olive groves, all bathed in a burst of natural beauty. You don’t come here by chance.
Today, the young winemaker works alongside her father, Gilles. The duo functions in perfect harmony. Laurence, the mother, runs the tasting room; Laurène, the elder sister, chose a career in aeronautical engineering. And let us not forget the grandfather, Daniel, still active in the field. Complicity and mutual admiration define the relationship: the father–daughter team works hand in hand.
“In the vineyard and in the cellar, everything goes really well—we do everything together,” assures the young winemaker. She admits her limited experience but says she found her place naturally. Like a planet, Madeline is making a slow revolution, in keeping with the spirit of transmission envisioned by Gilles. Two years after her arrival, she vinified her first cuvée.
The white wines, rich and fully ripe in style, are evolving toward greater freshness, refining themselves toward elegance, tension, and precision, in line with current tastes. For the reds, aging is moving toward demi-muids and amphorae, to showcase the terroirs or individual plots, such as those old Grenache vines planted in 1947.
And then there is the production of vins doux naturels. Gilles excels at them: “It’s our DNA. My grandfather made nothing but VDNs—wines that are almost immortal.” A tradition passed on to his daughter, who loves oxidative styles, making it possible “to create mind-blowing pairings.” A tuilé will soon join the five existing references—bringing the total to 26 emotionally driven cuvées, so that every wine lover can find their happiness.
After that, a Rasteau and a Cairanne Blanc will be added… In the meantime, the vineyard trail designed by Madeline will allow you to reach the summit.