Romain Le Bars

History of the Romain Le Bars Estate

The story of Romain Le Bars is one of radical conversion and conquering passion. After studying law and a career as a restaurateur in Paris, Romain was struck by lightning during a tasting of a Tavel from Domaine de l'Anglore: the revelation was total. He understood at that moment that his place was in a vineyard, making that kind of wine, in that corner of the Gard. He then enrolled in a viticulture training programme and knocked on the door of Eric Pfifferling, the winemaker at l'Anglore, to offer his services. The latter accepted: Romain would spend seven full years at Domaine de l'Anglore, learning every aspect of work in the vineyard and in the cellar, absorbing Pfifferling's philosophy and forging his own vision.

In April 2018, Romain Le Bars acquired his first vines on a farm lease, 1.20 hectares in Tavel. He continued to work in parallel as an agricultural labourer at l'Anglore to support himself, while managing his own harvests and vinifying in his garage. His first 2018 vintage, two cuvées, immediately sparked keen interest among enthusiasts and specialist wine merchants. From 2019 onwards, he devoted himself entirely to his own estate and began to expand it progressively, growing first from one hectare to two, then to ten hectares within a few years. He left his garage for a 200 square metre cellar better suited to his needs. By 2022, the estate had reached its current size of around ten hectares, covering the Tavel, Lirac and Vin de France appellations.

Terroirs and Vines of the Romain Le Bars Estate

The Romain Le Bars vineyard is principally located in Tavel and its surroundings, with plots in the Lirac appellation, in the Gard department, on the right bank of the Rhône. The terroirs are characteristic of the southern Rhône: sandy and galets roulés soils, typical of the Rhodanian alluvial plain, as well as argilo-calcareous soils on the higher areas. The vines, with the oldest being over 40 years old, are planted with Grenache noir (dominant), Syrah, Mourvèdre and Carignan for the reds, and Ugni blanc, Roussanne, Vermentino, Viognier and Grenache gris for the whites. The presence of Ugni blanc in the vineyard is a remarkable singularity of the estate: a variety usually reserved for the production of Cognac or Pineau des Charentes, it yields here, under Romain's hand, wines of remarkable freshness and originality.

Like his mentor Pfifferling, Romain Le Bars places primary importance on understanding the soils. The grass cover is carefully tended, and soil work is meticulous. The vineyard is farmed organically, in keeping with the values instilled by l'Anglore. Harvests are manual, with naturally very low yields, in line with the estate's artisanal philosophy.

Vinifications of the Romain Le Bars Estate

Romain Le Bars's cellar philosophy is directly inherited from seven years alongside Eric Pfifferling: little or no intervention, low sulphur doses (sometimes none), spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts. For the reds and rosés, vinification is carried out primarily through carbonic maceration with direct pressing and fruit infusion, a technique that favours aromatic extraction by infusion rather than by pressure, yielding pure and generous wines with a fine freshness. Ageing takes place in multi-vintage barrels (old barrels and demi-muids), for durations adapted to each cuvée.

For the whites, direct pressing is carried out with whole bunches, followed by fermentation in muids and barrels. The Clau Blanc (Ugni blanc) is vinified by direct pressing of whole bunches and then aged in demi-muids. The natural sparkling wines (Pet Nat) are bottled before the end of fermentation, without any addition, to capture the natural bubble. The style of Romain Le Bars's wines is highly recognisable: pure, fresh wines, infused with fruit and floral notes, with well-managed acidity providing a very welcome freshness in a part of the Gard that is often marked by heat.

The Cuvées of the Romain Le Bars Estate

Tavel (AOC Tavel): An emblematic rosé cuvée from the Tavel appellation, the only one in France to produce exclusively rosés. Made from a blend of Grenache (dominant), Syrah, Mourvèdre and complementary varieties. Carbonic maceration to preserve the fruit, direct pressing and infusion. A rosé wine of great freshness and aromatic purity in the direct lineage of Pfifferling at l'Anglore: red fruit, flowers, light spiced notes, fresh and savoury palate. "A future great name in Tavel wines" according to specialists. The first 2018 vintage of this cuvée immediately drew admiration from connoisseurs.

Lirac (AOC Lirac): A red Lirac cuvée made from a blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah and Carignan sourced from the galets and clay terroirs on the right bank of the Rhône. Carbonic maceration, ageing in old barrels. A generous and fruity red wine, with aromas of red and black fruits, spices and garrigue, with a supple and fresh palate. A pleasure-driven red Lirac, accessible and easy-drinking, which reveals the quality of the terroir of this still too little-known appellation.

Le Clau Blanc (Vin de France): A confidential and singular white cuvée, made from 100% Ugni blanc, old vines over 40 years old on sandy and galets soils. Direct pressing of whole bunches, fermentation in muids and barrels, ageing in demi-muids. A white wine of remarkable freshness and originality: "at once sun-drenched and of an exquisite freshness". A nose of white flowers, citrus and fruit, a lively and generous palate, a saline finish. One of the rare natural wine cuvées made entirely from Ugni blanc, demonstrating that this often underestimated variety can yield remarkable wines on the sandy terroirs of Tavel.

Le Clau Rouge (Vin de France): A confidential red cuvée made from a blend of the estate's finest plots, primarily Grenache and Syrah. Carbonic maceration, ageing in barrels. A precise and infused red wine, with aromas of red fruits, flowers and gentle spices, a light and fresh palate, silky tannins. The red signature of Romain Le Bars in Vin de France, in the direct and generous style that characterises his entire range.

L'Homme de la Roche (Vin de France): A red or rosé cuvée depending on the vintage, made from Grenache, Syrah and complementary varieties. A wine of fine expressiveness and great drinkability, in the vein of the estate's more accessible cuvées. Crunchy fruit, an alpine freshness despite the southern terroir, a light and easy-drinking finish.

Pousse Cailloux (Vin de France): A red cuvée whose name evokes the stony soils of the galets roulés plots where these vines are planted. Made from Grenache and/or Mourvèdre on these galets terroirs characteristic of the Rhodanian Gard. A fruity and full-bodied red wine, with aromas of black fruits and southern spices, an ample and generous palate.

A 2 C'est Mieux (Vin de France): A playful and convivial cuvée whose mischievous name reflects the winemaker's spirit. Made from a blend of two grape varieties or two complementary plots depending on the vintage. A thirst-quenching, sharing wine, fruity, light and easy-drinking, to be enjoyed as a pair as the name suggests.

Pet Nat Carignan (Vin de France): A natural sparkling wine made from Carignan, bottled before the end of fermentation to capture the natural bubble without any addition. Light and festive bubbles, a nose of red fruits and spices characteristic of Carignan, a lively and thirst-quenching palate. An original and regional sparkling wine, rare in this part of the Gard.

Pet Nat Roussanne (Vin de France): A natural sparkling wine made from Roussanne, a white grape variety characteristic of the Rhône. Fine bubbles, a nose of white flowers and white-fleshed fruits, a fresh and lightly aromatic palate. A white sparkling wine of great elegance, typical of Roussanne on these southern terroirs.

Pet Nat Ugni Blanc (Vin de France): A natural sparkling wine made from Ugni blanc, in the same vein as the Clau Blanc but in an effervescent version. Light bubbles, a fruity and floral nose, a fresh and thirst-quenching palate. An original and unconventional sparkling wine, once again demonstrating the potential of Ugni blanc in the hands of Romain Le Bars.