Branceilles Wine

The history of the Wine of Branceilles is one of most astonishing that we know concerning the soils of France. This rare and delicious wine, a long time very à.la.mode in France until the end of the XIXth century failed to disappear forever at the time of the epidemics of will philloxera and oïdium which devastated part of the French vineyards at the beginning of the XXth century. This appreciated vineyard, of almost 15000 hectares, was during almost a century reduced to the production of a few liters of wines of average quality. The history becomes a true tale when in 1986, some wine growers launch out in insane bets: to make revive the wine of their ancestors.

These eight pioneers with the strong will then begin a long work of ploughing and crushing of the stones, with which the area is covered. Besides these stones inspired the name of this new wine and old at the same time : Thousand and One Stones. Today 30 hectares of vineyards are replanted. It is still far from the 15000 hectares from the past but in 1993, a co-operative was born. The production of this wine to the destiny out of the commun run exceed 200000 bottles today and is sold in France but also in Great Britain, in Canada or Denmark.