The Aureto name has stood for many years for exceptional wines. Now we are looking forward to the next step: the re-emergence of Domaine de la Coquillade. The name represents a reaffirmation of our unwavering commitment to our heritage, to the region, and to the uncompromising quality that has characterized us from the very beginning.
Elyo, four uncompromising wines of distinct character, an expression of our passion and commitment to the environment, a harmonious symphony of substance, structure, and balance.
Our Coquillade wines, formerly known as Solale, embody the essence of our wine culture and offer uncompromising express our convictions. They are made from hand-picked and selected grapes from our best vineyards. Terroir and varietal character are as precise and clear as the power and complexity. These wines beg to be aged and perform wonderfully paired with food or enjoyed solo in a meditative setting with literature, music, and conversation.
A lucky few know this exquisite refuge nestled in the picturesque expanses of the Luberon Regional Nature Park: the Domaine de la Coquillade. According to legend, its origins date back to the 11th century, when Cistercian monks from Sénanque Abbey built the core of this authentic Provençal village.
The first vine was planted two centuries later, laying a foundation for the winery — and a legacy that has endured for generations, rich in tradition yet also marked by vibrant modern spirit.
After purchasing the estate in 2006, Andy Rihs, an avowed fan of Provence, began transforming the hotel and vineyard of the old bastide into a luxurious retreat. He gave the winery the name "Aureto," and his unwavering focus on quality ushered in a new era of wine production. Following his passing in 2018, sons Oliver and Tobias Rihs took over the winery with a clear goal: to continue the valuable family legacy, with biodynamics and a clear focus on sustainability, and knowing full well that this is a journey that never ends.
In 2024, La Coquillade* is rising anew. The sophisticated migratory bird soars over the Domaine and will adorn its insignia going forward. Its story is far from over...
* Coquillade is a synonym for formidable migratory birds that seek an exclusive home in the heart of Provence every year.
Flooded by the Mediterranean sun and gently buffeted by the cool mistral, our vineyards are in balance with nature. The vines thrive on red, sandy soils in the ideal climate of this unspoiled terrain, albeit one to which quite hot temperatures are no stranger. Their strong roots dig deep into the earth in search of the rich nutrients that give our grapes their unmistakable character.
The Luberon Regional Nature Park presents the rugged side of Provence and perpetually fascinates through its inimitable landscape. It is home to our unique terroir, characterized by its trademark red sandy soils. Seventeen of our 30 hectares of vineyards are located in the immediate vicinity of our hotel "Coquillade Provence," while the other vineyards lie close to the picturesque villages of Gordes and Oppède. Familiar varieties such as Syrah, red & white Grenache, Cinsault, Marsanne, and Roussanne thrive alongside the lesser-known Caladoc, Marselan, and Chenanson. This diversity helps us produce expressive wines that reflect all the beauty of the untamed nature here.
The soul of a wine lies in its soil. Soil that we treat with the utmost respect. For these red soils are the foundation on which we build our dreams. Since medieval times, the fascinating coloration of the Luberon's soil — a by-product of the high iron content of the sand —has attracted great painters seeking to deepen their knowledge of ochre pigments. The high share of sand and iron restricts the growth of the vines, especially when rainfall is as low as in our region. This makes the berries and yields naturally much smaller and the color pigments in the red berry skins more pronounced than in other regions. As a result, the color of the soil leads to an extraordinarily differentiated play of colors in the rosé wines — a driving force behind our passion to produce rosé wines at Domaine de la Coquillade.
The positive synergy of low-intervention viticulture is particularly evident in spontaneous fermentation. At Domaine de la Coquillade, we are increasingly dispensing with commercially cultivated yeasts and instead rely on the yeasts native to our healthy vineyards. This increases the complexity of the wines and emphasizes the signature of the terroir.
By consistently building up humus in our vineyards — a crucial measure, especially in the barren Luberon region — our grapes are already well supplied with nutrients by the time they arrive in the cellar. Enrichment with yeast nutrients, standard practice at many estates, is unnecessary for us. We encourage a thick legume green cover, increasing the nitrogen content in the must, which means that malolactic fermentation can also take place spontaneously. Our wines do not undergo fining, but rather are filtered using kieselgur.
We set fine accents in the cellar primarily by returning to traditional methods of winemaking, supported by fermentation in ceramic, wooden, and concrete vats.
