La Durbane

Rhône, France

A journey from Basel to Châteauneuf du Pape

In the northern part of Châteauneuf-du-Pape lies La Durbane, a small side project founded by Jean-Louis Giornal in 1999. Today, La Durbane is run by Florence Giornal, Jean-Louis Giornal's daughter, and her husband Thomas.

What's special about this story is that Florence and Thomas lived in Basel before taking over La Durbane. Both with a background in chemistry, they gave up their careers in the pharmaceutical industry to bring their passion and ideas to winemaking, lending their own modern touch to today's La Durbane.

La Durbane has earned a well-deserved reputation for producing exceptional Châteauneuf-du-Pape red wines, characterized by vibrant cherries, dark fruits, and tantalizing spices. It's also worth highlighting the equally impressive white wines. Florence and Thomas master these wines and are praised for their purity and distinct character. These wines offer delicate floral notes, complemented by subtle hints of salt. They also age beautifully.

La Durbane already practices organic farming and will be certified in 2023. It has ongoing projects to promote biodiversity, from planting pollinator-friendly honey plants to installing bird and bat boxes. The switch to lighter glass bottles and the construction of an eco-friendly wine cellar powered by renewable energy are expressions of its commitment to a greener future.

It is our pleasure to introduce La Durbane's fabulous Châteauneuf du Pape wines and to reconnect Florence and Thomas with their former Basel community.