Vignoble de cala

The vineyard

Earth, sun, water… and a gentle hand to extract only the best. The vine stock at Domaine de Cala is rooted in clay and limestone soil and worked with skill and finesse. This complexity produces remarkable wines that embody the region’s singularity. A winemaker’s dream!
Once the blocks are cleared of stones and weeds, and the shoots pruned, the roundness of the first berries offers a hint of the pleasures to come.

At Domaine de Cala, we also cultivate quality.

« Wine is, first and foremost, the expression of a terroir. Domaine de Cala is a rare pairing of soil and climate. It’s up to us to do our work with respect for that heritage, planting only the best varieties. »

Joachim Splichal
Owner and chef

Our terroir

Vin terroir provence

UNDER THE PROVENCAL SUN

While rosé is the dominant wine colour in Provence, some vineyards like Domaine de Cala make red and white wines that are well worth trying. Sun-drenched and wind-swept, nourished by balanced earth where the freshness of clay combines with the minerality of limestone, our vines produce delightful wines whose fruit remains intact.

Whatever the colour, all our wines are designated as « Coteaux Varois en Provence », « Côtes de Provence » or « Protected Geographical Indication ».

Rose de caractere domaine de cala

The soil at Cala,
a subtle rapport between clay and limestone

Whatever the colour, all our wines are designated as « Coteaux Varois en Provence », « Côtes de Provence » or « Protected Geographical Indication ».

Our grapes

Cepages domaine de cala provence
Grenache syrah domaine de cala

« Our four red varieties and three whites, chosen by mass selection, allow us to reconnect with early varieties… »

THE CHALLENGE OF FINDING BALANCE

At Domaine de Cala, we have taken the time to carefully determine which grapes to grow. Our four red varieties and three whites, chosen by mass selection, allow us to reconnect with early varieties. Because you need the best grapes to make the best wine. Among the more predominant varieties, Grenache – the Mediterranean grape par excellence – produces sweeter, mellow wine, while Syrah makes for powerful, forthright reds. The rarer grapes include Carignan for our red wines and Clairette for our whites.

Although people gave shape to the vineyard, environmental protection remains a priority at Cala, involving controlled plant cover, manual or mechanical weeding, non-chemical treatments using sulphur and copper sulphate, organic fertiliser and more. Here, we know how to mix species in order to enrich the land on a lasting basis. And we enjoy doing part of each harvest by hand, like in the olden days.

Domaine de Cala's wine is organic since 2022.

vin agriculture biologique provence
Moutons domaine de cala

COUNTING SHEEP

Sheep are also part of the history of Domaine de Cala. Just like his father did 40 years ago, Michel Granier lets his sheep out to graze the land: “There are always sheep on the property – proof that the environment is healthy”. When he arrived in 2015, Joachim Splichal decided to continue the tradition with this natural contribution to the vineyard’s maintenance.

GRENACHE

Grenache is one of the most widely planted varieties in the world. It ripens late and so needs a warm, dry climate like in the South of France. It tends to be spicy, with the sweet taste of berries on the palate, and features a relatively high alcohol content.

SYRAH

Syrah grapes have dark skin and are used as a varietal or are often blended. Wines made with Syrah are usually powerful, highly aromatic and robust. This variety produces wines with a wide array of flavours, depending on the climate and the soil: from violet to dark berries by way of chocolate and even espresso or black pepper.

ROLLE

Rolle is a light-coloured grape that is mainly grown in Italy, Corsica and mainland France. Because it ripens late, it needs a warm climate and can only be cultivated in regions with plenty of sunshine.

CINSAULT

Cinsault is a red wine variety whose heat tolerance and high yields make it an important one in Languedoc-Roussillon. It is often blended with grapes like Grenache and Carignan to add a touch of sweetness and bouquet.

CARIGNAN

Carignan is a red wine grape that is often blended. Nowadays, it is mainly used in the South of France, although some outstanding stock is also present in South Africa and Australia. These grapes demand a great deal of skill to make a delicate, elegant wine, because they are naturally high in acidity, tannins and astringency.

Compositions cepages domaine de cala