Domaine du Manoir
Domaine du Manoir

Domaine du Manoir

A fourteenth-century abbey, the Manoir became a fiefdom in 1403. Positioned across two areas of registered designation of origin (Côtes de l’Orbe and Bonvillars), Domaine du Manoir has 24 hectares of red grape vines undergoing organic reconversion.

Domaine du Manoir

Grand cru

Domaine du Manoir

AOC Côtes de L’Orbe - Assemblage Rouge - 2020

The terroir of the Côtes de l’Orbe brings together various soil types. Combining marl, molasse and the yellow limestone of the Jura, it is these varied soils and their particular specificities that give this blend its balance. This is an easy-drinking wine, sapid and distinctive for the Gamay’s lively red fruit, balanced against the elegance of the Pinot Noir and the complexity of the Merlot. It has a lovely acidic structure with subtle and integrated tannins.

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Our terroir

Domaine du Manoir extends across both the Côtes-de-l’Orbe and Bonvillars AOC designations. The soils of Valeyres-sous-Rances are comprised of marl, brightly-colored molasse and the yellow limestone of the Jura. These exceptional soils allow the various red grapes grown from them to fully express their individual characters.

Domaine - a history

Domaine - a history

1300-1400

An abbey in the Cluniac tradition

The Cluniacs had by that time already conquered Europe, expanding the reach of their abbeys and, by extension, the spread of their fishing, tree cultivation and, most importantly, winegrowing techniques. The majority of their monastic communities tended vines, whether for communion wine or for trade. This was certainly true of the abbey of Valeyres-sous-Rances. Centuries later, the abbey would become Domaine du Manoir, its beautiful turret and the magnificent fireplaces of its reception rooms bearing witness to its history.

1403

From the Savoyards to Valeyres-sous-Rances

Domaine du Manoir is connected to the history of the Dukes of Savoy, and specifically to Amadeus VIII the Peaceful, duke and antipope. Considered the wisest of the leaders of the House of Savoy, he successfully avoided any combat on his lands throughout his reign, even as the Hundred Years’ War raged. The Duke acquired the County of Geneva in 1401. Two years later, the abbey of Valeyres-sous-Rances and its possessions became a fiefdom in due course, held by the nobleman Pierre de Gland, a vassal of the Savoy family and a prince of Vaud.

1785

The Countess de Gasparin, a nursing pioneer

From the late eighteenth century through to the late nineteenth century, the manor belonged to the Boissier dynasty. The family’s notable descendants included the Countess de Gasparin, Valérie Boissier. She made history in the canton of Vaud by establishing the Yverdon Asile des Bains in 1858, an institution for unwell people of modest means and, a year later - her life’s work - the La Source clinic in Lausanne, the world’s first secular nursing school. A published author, she was married to the Corsican count Agénor de Gasparin, a writer, theologian, politician and committed Protestant. The count was the co-founder of the Union of Free Evangelical Churches of France.

1960

The estate takes its current form.

After serving as the home of the Barbey family for two centuries, the manor house was bought by the canton minister and renowned Morges biscuit manufacturer Alfred Oulevay. The State Councilor (1951-1963) acquired the estate to supplement the winegrowing business he had long been developing with his childhood friend René Geissmann. They established the estate in its current format and established its pedigree with some exceptional wines.

2020

The white grapes of La Côte alongside the red grapes of the Côtes de l’Orbe - the ideal partnership.

In 2020, new owners from the Alsace took their place in the history of these vineyards, purchasing Domaine du Manoir from Cofigo SA: the Sother family.

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