Collard Family
Vine growers in the AOP-protected Costières de Nîmes wine area
Rhône Valley vineyard
Our heritage
The Rhône maritime
The Tour de Béraud is an old stone tower that still stands majestically on the crest line of the southern slopes of the AOC* Costières de Nîmes wine area in the town of Beaucaire. The vineyard lies not far from the River Rhône and the coastal region of Camargue.
It flourishes across 14 hectares (34 acres) of terraces and hillsides near this tower. Rooted on the right bank of the river, it is bathed in the influences of the Rhône and the Mediterranean. *AOC means that wines from this area are protected by a ‘controlled designation of origin’
A witness to history
This fire tower, built in the fourteenth century, overlooks the sweeping Beaucaire plain and Camargue, asserting its position at a strategic crossroads. As a link in the defensive network connecting the Rhône Valley to the Mediterranean, a fire would be lit at its summit to warn of impending invasions. Used as a guardhouse in the seventeenth century, a garrison of six men set up station there to keep watch for bandits. In the nineteenth century, it housed the articulated arms of the first Chappe optical telegraph line connecting Nîmes to Beaucaire.
Over the centuries, the Tour de Béraud has served as a loyal sentinel. This building, just like its lands and the vine growers that have nurtured them, represents a time-honoured heritage at a richly diverse crossroads.
Our passion
Passing on a passion
When Louis Collard settled in Beaucaire in 1963, arboriculture was the main activity on the estate. The pebbly soil was ideal for growing stone fruit – cherries, peaches, apricots and nectarines.
His keen interest in vines prompted him to replant the existing vineyard with a great deal of innovation.
His pioneering vision was illustrated in the planting of the first Syrah vines in the Costières de Nîmes appellation. He also chose to implement a trellising system for tying the vines.
Louis Collard labelled his first bottles La Tour de Béraud.
His son François added his own improvements to the vineyard by practising organic then biodynamic cultivation while developing sales of bottled wine.
His grandson Romain represents the third generation. He is bringing a new dimension to the vineyard with plot-based work and a search for precision in the wines.
The vine growers’ traditional techniques and passion endure generation after generation to provide you with the very best.
The terroir
Well-drained soil & cool, breezy climate
The River Rhône deposited its soil, comprising stony alluvium and ‘galets roulés’ (rounded pebbles), during the Quaternary period, more than two million years ago. The deep clay delivers coolness and moisture, which are especially welcome over the summer months. It thus provides a regular supply of water for the vines.
The vines are well-aired by the cold, dry northerly wind, the Mistral, for nearly a hundred days a year.
All summer, a cool Mediterranean breeze contributes to the refreshing balance of the wines, particularly the white.
Our commitment
Organic & biodynamic cultivation
Demeter-certified biodynamic and organic cultivation shares respect for biodiversity and the life of the soil. Biodynamic farming goes further by introducing specific practices based on plants, minerals and organic matter associated with cosmic influences. These preparations are applied in the vineyard in keeping with the natural sun and moon cycles which accompany life on Earth. They take a preventive approach to strengthening the soil’s and plants’ vitality, promoting vine health, right down to the microbiological level. The vines’ roots grow deep into the soil in search of nutrients. They become more resilient in the face of climate change. The grapes thrive in a healthy environment, in symbiosis with the prolific life of the vineyard which also grows in the soils in its environment (hedges, forest and garrigue scrubland).
In the wine cellar, the yeast naturally occurring on grape skins leads the fermentation of the wines. The very low addition of sulphites maintains the purity of flavours. The wines are unique in their aromatic complexity and intensity. They are better balanced and pleasantly light to drink.
OUR WINES
Pure and elegant, the wines are made from noble grape varieties of the Rhône Valley.
WHITE
rosé
RED
héritage
Contact us
Visit us
Collard Family
1055 chemin Mourgues du Grès
30300 Beaucaire
+33 (0)4 66 59 46 10
Open :
Monday to Friday
9:30 AM to 12:00 AM and from 1:30 PM to 6:30 PM
(October to April until 6:00 PM)
Samedi :
10:00 AM to 12:30 AM and from 1:30 PM to 6:00 PM
(October to April until 5:30 PM)