Estate Owned by: Hervé Daniel Deguillame | Winemaker: Hervé Daniel Deguillame | Agronomist: Hervé Daniel Deguillame | Viticulture Method: Sustainable management | Extension: 2.5 hectares | Estate Founded: 2005 | Winery Production Total: 15.000 Btls.

Located along the Via Francigena in the town of Verrayes in the Aosta Valley, La Vrille is both a winery and a holiday farm. At 670 m above sea level, it has good sun exposure and views of Mount Avic and Mount Emilius. The inspiration for the name of the winery comes from the word tendril, or vrille in French, a thin, robust, and often curly filament that grabs firmly on to its support; a humble yet indispensable action that owner Hervè strongly identifies with in his role as a wine producer.

Luciana and Hervé founded the winery in 2002 guided by a pioneering instinct for the simple life. Hervé, a former marine and great grandson of locals who emigrated, decided to return to the Valle D’Aosta and reinvent a life for himself. He cultivates the land of his ancestors according to the principle that he must work the land to truly belong to the valley. He chose wine growing, a lifelong passion, and little by little bought and planted 15,000 square meters (1.5 hectares) of vineyards. During his time as a winemaker with Crotta di Chambave (1991 to 2005), his knowledge and passion for enology grew. In 2005 his dreams came true when he vinified his first harvest of Cornalin and Fumin. This very small winery has reached the apex of a winemaking journey characterized by coherence and passion for the land.

According to Hervé’s philosophy, it all starts with the work in the vineyard:  “I pay special attention to and respect the plants so as to avoid any superfluous treatments in the vineyard so that at harvest time the grapes are healthy and mature. Then, in the cellar, we can help nature go through its processes.

La Vrille is the name Hervé chose for his winery. In English it means tendril; it is small, delicate, but tenacious and essential for the growth of the vines, a bit like Hervé is for the growth of his winery!