Since 1973, Eloi Dürrbach is at the head of Domaine de Trévallon (which means three valleys), and consists of 17ha on the northern slope of the Alpilles, close to Saint Rémy de Provence and Les Baux. The events leading to this achievement are many because when Eloi landed in Trévallon there were only limestone pebbles and blue marl, and a farmhouse in a dirty state, without water or electricity.
But Eloi Dürrbach has a lot of character, and his choice of varietal is the most flagrant example. He planted syrah and cabernet sauvignon (Bordeaux grapes) in large proportion, which therefore excluded his wines from being recognized by the AOC Baux de Provence. Thus in twenty years, Trévallon will have changed denominations five times to ultimately be included in the appellation of IGP Alpilles.
The vines have always been grown organically, winemaking is done with minimal intervention, and small yields are favorized. The whites are made with local grapes and Chardonnay and vary from gastronomical, to table wine. The red varietals, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon are aged for more than 2 years in barrels and vinified without destemming to preserve their characteristic freshness. With Eloi Dürrbach’s attention to detail, the wine labels change according to the vintages, and were created by his father, a painter and great friend of Picasso.
