Duché d'Uzès

The history of Duché d'Uzès wines goes back 2000 years. Vines have been cultivated in this area since the 6th century BC, but viticulture began to escalate in the Middle Ages, driven by religious communities. During the time of Louis One of the greatest champions of Duché d'Uzès was writer Jean Racine. During his stay in Uzès in 1661, he wrote to a friend in Paris describing the wines as “the best in the kingdom,” famously declaring that “we have nights more beautiful than your days.”

The vineyards of the Bishop of Uzès: The Promenade des Maronniers and its parks were once the property of the diocese and planted with vines. The bishop was very proud of his vines and around 1400 he looked for a way to share his pride and joy with his people. He announced that on January 1 he would give a carafe of his best white wine to any couple who had made it through the first year of marriage without a fight. Unfortunately, there is no data showing how many carafes of wine were given away! In 1989, Duché d'Uzès began the process of obtaining AOC recognition. It was a long road, but the reward came in July 2013, when it was officially granted AOC status.