Jas des Oliviers: two sisters, one shared commitment to quality and authenticity
When I step into the charming boutique of the estate in Fréjus, I'm greeted by a petite woman with sun-tanned skin and sparkling eyes. Her face lights up with a genuine smile as she welcomes me. Mrs. Ollivier and her husband have experienced the time-honored traditions of winemaking: rising at dawn, trellising, bud removal, leaf thinning… Then, like the six generations before them, they passed the estate on to their children – without, however, completely retiring! And so it is that today, Myriam and Mireille, their two daughters, welcome me to tell me about Jas des Oliviers.
Women winemakers, entrepreneurs, keepers of memory…
Myriam and Mireille are now in charge of the 21 hectares of vineyards spread across plots with evocative names. : The Ponds, Roquebrune, Sainte-Brigitte and La Madeleine. Together, they embody a beautiful alliance between family tradition and contemporary commitment. They perpetuate the spirit of Jas des Oliviers, breathing new life into it, attentive to climate challenges, the diversity of grape varieties, and the promotion of the local terroir. As the estate's true strategist, Myriam plays a central role. She oversees the entire production process, from vine to bottle, is involved in day-to-day management, and actively participates in the marketing and promotion of the estate. Mireille, for her part, is a trained oenologist. As a skilled winemaker, she selects the grape varieties and meticulously oversees the winemaking process in a state-of-the-art cellar. Equipped with stainless steel and concrete tanks, it allows for precise vinification that respects the aromas. The floating-lid tanks ensure optimal wine preservation.
Every step, from temperature control to on-site bottling, is overseen by Mireille to guarantee the authenticity and quality of the wines. When harvest time arrives, Myriam and Mireille work together for three weeks, picking grapes at night to preserve their freshness and aromatic intensity.
Four names or nothing!
At Jas des Oliviers, old grape varieties such as Cinsault, Ugni blanc, and Cabernet grow alongside more recent varieties like Caladoc, Tibouren, and Clairette. The estate boasts – a rare occurrence in the region – four main appellations within the Côtes de Provence AOP:
- Côtes de Provence – Fréjus: a rare and prestigious geographical designation, unique to this volcanic and Mediterranean terroir,
- Côtes de Provence – Sainte-Brigitte: an emblematic cuvée of the estate, available in white and red, which showcases grape varieties such as Rolle, Ugni blanc, Syrah or Mourvèdre,
- Côtes de Provence – Rocher: another distinctive vintage, particularly the organic rosé, which expresses the freshness and finesse of the local terroir.
- Côtes de Provence – Auguste: a high-end vintage, often rosé, which combines elegance, complexity and originality thanks to grape varieties such as Tibouren and Grenache.
… All these names reflect the diversity of the soils and the quality commitment of the Ollivier family.
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