Domaine de la Mordorée

Domaine de la Mordorée was established in 1986 when Francis Delorme and his then 24-year-old son Christophe started with just five inherited hectares of vines in Tavel. Within three years the estate had grown to 60 hectares, driven by Christophe's ambition and a sharp eye for quality parcels across the Southern Rhône. Brother Fabrice joined the team in 1999, consolidating the family operation. The domaine took its name from the woodcock, a game bird whose bronze-gold plumage the French call 'mordorée,' and whose image became the estate's emblem. By the time of Christophe's sudden death in June 2015 at age 52, he had built an estate that Robert Parker called 'one of the world's greatest wine estates.'

• Founded 1986 by Francis and Christophe Delorme starting with five inherited hectares
• Expanded to approximately 60 hectares by 1989 through active parcel acquisition
• Fabrice Delorme joined in 1999, completing the founding-generation team
• Estate name references the woodcock bird ('mordorée' describes its bronze-gold coloring)

Christophe Delorme's death in June 2015 at the age of 52 was a defining moment for the estate. His widow Madeleine and daughter Ambre took over leadership from 2016, with Ambre representing the second generation of family ownership. Cellar manager Rémy Chauvet, who had worked with Christophe, provided continuity on the production side and has been singled out by critic Jeb Dunnuck as 'incredibly capable.' The estate has remained active on the international stage, participating in Wine Paris in February 2025 and Vignerons Indépendants events in 2025 and 2026. The domaine has also opened Villa d'Ambre, a luxury guest accommodation on the property, integrating wine tourism with its agricultural mission.

• Madeleine (widow) and Ambre (daughter) assumed leadership from 2016 following Christophe's death in June 2015
• Rémy Chauvet serves as cellar manager, providing production continuity from the Christophe era
• Estate active at Wine Paris (February 2025) and Vignerons Indépendants events in 2025 and 2026
• Villa d'Ambre luxury guest accommodation operates on the estate alongside vineyard tourism and tastings

The estate currently manages 58 hectares spread across 38 parcels in 8 communes, giving it an unusually broad footprint for the Southern Rhône. The home base is Tavel, where the domaine occupies the Vallongue plateau, one of the appellation's most respected sites. The Châteauneuf-du-Pape holdings total 12.7 hectares and include parcels at the prestigious La Crau lieu-dit, where some vines exceed 100 years of age, as well as Bois La Ville and Cabrières. Lirac vineyards sit on the Plateaus of Lirac and Tavel, including the Les Baumes site. The portfolio also extends to Côtes du Rhône, Condrieu on the eastern slopes of the Massif Central, and a Vin de France bottling.

• 58 hectares across 38 parcels in 8 communes, covering Tavel, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Lirac, Côtes du Rhône, and Condrieu
• Châteauneuf-du-Pape holdings total 12.7 hectares at La Crau, Bois La Ville, and Cabrières lieux-dits
• La Crau parcels include vines over 100 years old, used in the flagship La Reine des Bois cuvée
• Condrieu vines grown on the eastern slopes of the Massif Central, representing the estate's northernmost holdings

The estate converted to organic farming, gaining certification in 2013, and went further to achieve Biodynamic Demeter certification in 2020; it also holds HVE (High Environmental Value) certification. All fruit is hand-harvested, and the approach in the cellar favors minimal intervention, including use of minimal sulfites. For the flagship La Reine des Bois Châteauneuf-du-Pape, aging is split roughly 80 percent in tank and 20 percent in oak, preserving fruit character while adding texture. The cuvée names across the range carry a poetic, literary quality: La Dame Rousse and La Reine des Bois in Tavel and Châteauneuf-du-Pape, La Dame Voyageuse for a second Châteauneuf-du-Pape bottling, and La Plume du Peintre, produced only in exceptional vintages. Temperature-controlled fermentation is used throughout.

• Organic certified 2013; Biodynamic Demeter certified 2020; also holds HVE (High Environmental Value) certification
• All vineyards hand-harvested; winemaking uses minimal sulfites and temperature-controlled fermentation
• La Reine des Bois Châteauneuf-du-Pape aged 80% in tank and 20% in oak to balance freshness and texture
• La Plume du Peintre is produced only in exceptional vintages, making it one of the estate's rarest releases

Domaine de la Mordorée holds a singular place in the Southern Rhône for several reasons. It is headquartered in Tavel, the only French appellation dedicated exclusively to rosé, while simultaneously owning some of the finest parcels in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Lirac. The estate helped elevate the image of Tavel and Lirac at a time when those appellations were often overshadowed by Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The commitment to biodynamic farming, completed in 2020, places it among the most rigorously certified estates in the Southern Rhône. The story of family continuity, with a second generation of female leadership steering the estate after the loss of its driving force, adds a human dimension that resonates well beyond the wine trade.

• Headquartered in Tavel, France's only exclusively rosé appellation, while holding top parcels in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Lirac
• Helped raise the international profile of Tavel and Lirac alongside Châteauneuf-du-Pape
• Full biodynamic Demeter certification achieved in 2020, among the most rigorous certifications in the Southern Rhône
• Succession from Christophe Delorme to Madeleine and Ambre is a notable example of female-led continuity in a traditional region