Winegrowers’ Portraits
Domaine Saint Victorin
A know-how for great wines
Heir of a great-grandfather who founded the Domain Saint-Victorin, a grandfather, then a father who bequeathed to him the family vineyard in the AOC Côtes de Provence, Christian Troin, wine grower, proudly cultivates the tradition, and passes on in his turn to his son Damien, 30, the secrets of the know-how for great wines.
Domaine Saint-Victorin, property of the family Troin, is located between Toulon and Hyères, at the foot of Cuers, a Provençal village rich of a historical and natural heritage. Christian, wine grower, the current owner, tells: “In my youth, the vineyard was my playground. Since my youngest age, clinging to my father, I live our earth. I learnt to feel it vibrating, warming, surrendering. Like my father I have never stopped earthing up to the vines in winter, earthing-down in spring, ploughing the worshipped ground, lead it to take root very deeply to, in turn, feed the vine stocks. Today the tractor replaced my grandfather’s working horse. But since the origin, the Domain is maintained in organic farming”.
The transmitted Domain spreads out on 14 hectares distributed half on the municipality of Cuers and half on the village of Pierrefeu. The very red soil is calcareous-clay. The dominant grape variety on the domain is Grenache, which likes the Mediterranean land, added with Cinsault, Mourvèdre, Carignan, Shiraz, Rolle, Ugni Blanc. Although the methods used for the preservation of the terroir remain unchanged since the origin of the domain Saint-Victorin, Christian made his contribution in the cellar. Six years ago, he rebuilt and reorganized it. The stainless steel replaced cement. Magnificent gleaming thermoregulated tanks came in his new cellar of small volume (35 or 70hl). Beautiful, but especially practical, to undertake by-plot vinification. Domaine Saint Victorin now has as many tanks as plots of land, 24. Christian loves the low-temperature vinification to give wine the time to absorb the terroir. Very careful of his rosés, he introduced into his cellar a cold exchanger to cool the harvest, done, destemmed and sorted out by hand, before sending it to the press and pouring it in a settling vat.
He is fond of rosé. And here again, he shows creativity with regard to his ancestors. His rosé has a very clear aspect, almost pellucid with silvery tinges, a blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Carignan and Mourvèdre, which reveals fruitiness, without any acidity. It has been vinified like a white wine, offers aromas of citrus fruits, lemon and grapefruit, and a beautiful persistency. Named Rose Or, elegant and sensual, it seduced the luxury hotels of Côte d'Azur such as Hotel Martinez in Cannes, Royal Riviera, Westminster, Belles Rives and even celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Negresco by crafting the vintage N. His rosé also honours great tables like African Queen in Beaulieu, La Bastide Saint Antoine, Moorea …
Domaine Saint Victorin’s range also includes magnificent white and red wines stemming from old vines. Christian Troin’s regret is to have too many restrictions with regard to the appellation. Its wines, referenced with the greatest, are harmonious, well-balanced and have a special flavour, peculiar to author's wines! Are you bringing me a bottle for dinner?
Marie-Caroline Bourrellis
Domaine de Saint Victorin
2, plan de Léoube
83390 Cuers
Tél : + 33 (0)4 94 28 52 51
