Our Philosophy
History to future
With respect for the long history of quality wines made at La Yotte, we fell in love with the varied soils on the steep slopes toward the Garonne river. Quality wines will once again come out of our centuries-old winery, but with notable differences. With modern equipment, heating and electricity from our solar panels, and robots working the land, we feel a harmony between proud history and cutting-edge techniques — a combination that pushes us to strive for even greater quality.
Organic practices
Having replanted our land with tens of thousands of young vines, we take our parenting roles seriously. Instead of chemicals absorbed by vine and soil, we have practiced organics from day one of the little vines’ existence. Our vines have never (never!) been touched by pesticides, insecticides, or herbicides. Childhood can be tough, but they are hardened for the challenges that await. Tough love is our motto. And yes — we happily drink our well water, knowing exactly what is (and isn’t) in it!
UnUsual varietIEs
While a nightmare in terms of wait and costs, the real benefit of replanting is that we could think long and hard about the wines we wanted to make. This brings complexity in the cellar but ensures wines like nobody else’s. Old clones of Bordelaise Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Castets recall our region in the early 19th century, while Touriga Nacional thrives in the ever-hotter and longer Bordeaux summers. Vinified separately, they come together in harmonious blends. Oh and we say welcome to the newcomer: Chenin Blanc!
Highest quality
After extensive soil studies, we chose varieties, clones, and rootstocks suited to their new home and resilient to a challenging climate. We plant at higher density than the appellation requires, encouraging vines to dig deep for water and nutrients. We work tirelessly to keep vineyards healthy and clean from pests and disease, so grapes can ripen slowly and steadily. With beautiful berries arriving at the winery, reaching the highest quality suddenly feels much less difficult.
Family home
Moving from Sweden, we chose La Yotte as our family home. It was the place we fell for: centuries-old structures surrounded by healthy land, water, and forest. We loved the deer, rabbits, foxes, wild boar, peacocks (!), owls, lizards, black kites and many other animals we now share the land with. Planting vines has annoyingly offered free lunches to some rather than scaring them off. But La Yotte is a place to breathe and cherish nature. With respect for its surroundings and history, we are proud to call it our home.
Food and flavour passion
Born from a true passion for food and drink, we love wine for the sheer enjoyment it brings with good food and company. By the same token, we aim to offer wines from our organic grapes that can be enjoyed on their own, but more often alongside our favourite cooking. And of course, we enjoy a glass while preparing the meal too. With several varieties and different approaches in the cellar, we are far from a one-trick pony.
