What is an arjolle?
An arjolle is a small clay amphora. The word arjolle comes from the ancient language of southern France, the langue d'oc, and means clay, so our domaine name is well chosen, given our origins and terroir.
The family home and original winery were built on a vineyard plot known as the Arjolle, in the village of Saint-Geniès-de-Fontedit, near our estate in Pouzolles. As was customary, the presence of a house and winery gave rise to the name Domaine de l’Arjolle.
A neighbouring tile works produced roof tiles and small amphorae made from the clay found on this very plot. The workshop was located on rue de l’Arjolle – a name that remains to this day.
All things considered, we feel that the name Domaine de l’Arjolle suits us very well.
What was an arjolle used for?
In the past, vineyard labourers used to soak arjolles in water overnight. The clay absorbed the water, and the vessels were then filled with wine before being taken out to the vineyard. During the day, the sun and heat caused the water held in the clay to evaporate, but the wine inside stayed cool – in fact, the arjolle was an early version of the thermos flask.
What does our logo on the labels symbolize?
The logo on our labels is a modern sketch of an "arjolle." This sketch explains our name, and our name explains this sketch.
Our Story
Domaine de l’Arjolle underwent a renaissance in 1974 piloted by brothers Prosper and Louis‑Marie, supported by their wives Rolande and Marie‑Pierre. Together, they embarked on an ambitious, highly demanding project.
They were among the pioneering winegrowers of the 1970s who reshaped the image of Languedoc wines, elevating them to new standards of quality and recognition.
Although Domaine de l’Arjolle had been in existence since the 19th century, the brothers transformed the estate, replanting the vineyards and introducing international grape varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc – a bold move for the region at the time.
From the outset, their vision was based on three core values that still guide us today: quality, diversity, and wines made for pleasure.
The fact that Domaine de l'Arjolle's vineyards are in the Côtes de Thongue appellation area gave the brother a certain freedom, and the impetus to create varietal wines and creative, expressive blends.
Their efforts were rewarded in 1978 by the bottling of their first vintage.
In 1985, Charles (Louis-Marie’s brother-in-law) and Guilhem (Prosper and Louis-Marie's nephew) joined the partnership, strengthening the team. They brought with them deep reflection on agronomy and the implementation of environmentally-friendly practices, and thanks to this, the domaine obtained Terra Vitis certification (a charter for sustainable and responsible viticulture) in 2000. In 1986, Prosper's son Roland joined the team.
The first oak-aged wines were made in 1988, another revolutionary step in Languedoc winemaking.
Louis-Marie's 1992 trip to California resulted in yet more innovation. While on his travels he discovered Zinfandel, the state's flagship grape, and Domaine de l’Arjolle planted its first hectare of this variety in 1995.
In 2001, in response to growing enthusiasm from buyers for the estate's barrel-aged wines, a cellar with over 1,000 barrels was inaugurated along with a modern bottling line.
In 2004, Louis-Marie's son François and Roch (Prosper's son, and Roland's brother) joined the partnership, bringing more innovation to the winemaking and vineyards. Thanks to their efforts, more hectares were reclaimed from the rocky garrigue scrubland and planted with Carménère, Syrah and Viognier. High-density plantings (8,000 vines per hectare instead of the usual 5,000) were introduced to provide top-quality fruit for the premium Paradoxe range; the wines became fresher and more elegant, and the barrel ageing became more precise.
In 2014, Simon (another of Louis-Marie's sons) joined the estate, initially assisting his brother François before taking over selected vineyards in 2021. At the same time, Geoffroy (a former intern and long-time friend of the domaine) became a partner, bringing a breath of fresh air to the estate's sales and marketing.
In 2019, inspired by a Dutch client, Domaine de l'Arjolle launched its first dealcoholised wines - a major innovation.
In 2021 the partnership grew with the arrival of Juliette (Charles' daughter), who joined to head up the newly-created dry-goods purchasing division and manage the sales administration essential to the estate’s operations.
