Domaine Myrko Tépus
Located at the altitude of 460 m, close to Gorges du Verdon, this soil is made of sandstone with reptiles on the south and clay-limestone on the sides, it's in a valley where the Sainte-Victoire and Les Bessillons face each other. The benefits from this important thermal amplitude give soft and optimal maturities which bring the wines their great freshness. Most of the vineyards are old Grenache from 1954, planted on the north clay-limestone silt. Also there are south-facing Carignans from 1962 on sandstone and flint. Plus there is 1 hectare of Cinsault, 1 hectare of Ugni blanc, 20 ares of Chardonnay and 40 ares of Syrah.
The soils are variable, from sand to silt via clay, always accompanied by sedimentary rocks (sandstones with reptiles, pink limestone, flint). Myrko works meticulously on his vines, without any chemical input in order to respect the living. He sows green fertilisers in the inter row in the fall (rye, barley, oats, vetch, clovers) which will be mowed in the spring. Sheep from the neighboring farm come to graze in the winter and Myrko uses their manure to fertilise the vines. When necessary, he treats his vines with sulfur and copper combined with manure, herbal teas and thyme,
bay leaf and rosemary hydrolats.
The vinification is done without any chemical input, except for really small quantities of sulphite after the malolactic fermentation process and some adjustments before bottling of the wines. Rosé and white wines are pressed directly. The maceration of red wines is done for the whole grape bunches in concrete vats for 8 to 15 days.
The aging takes place in tuns and demi-muids for 12 - 24 months.