Chateau Grand Boise
Provence, but not as you know it
Most people think they know Provence wines. Pale rosé, poolside sipping, maybe a lavender sprig for the Instagram shot. Chateau Grand Boise is here to mess with that picture. Their vines cling to steep terraces up to 625 metres above sea level on Mont Sainte-Victoire, giving wines with altitude — literally and metaphorically. These bottles don’t lounge by the pool, they climb mountains.
“High-altitude, old-vine, certified organic Provence. Same sunshine, different attitude.”
A history with grit
Founded in 1610, the estate has only changed hands four times. The current guardians took over in 2013, restoring Grand Boise to glory with organic farming, horse-drawn ploughs, and massal-selection replanting (that’s wine-nerd speak for using cuttings from the best old vines rather than cookie-cutter clones).
Winemaker Jean Simonet has been at the helm since 2012, determined to let each of the 90 plots speak for itself. The result? Wines that taste like the mountain air they grow in — clean, precise, and impossible to confuse with anything else.
The Nerdy Bit (you knew it was coming)
Altitude brings freshness, perfume and bite. Old vines give depth. And the grape choices here are… let’s just say “unexpected.” Sure, you’ll find Vermentino (or Rolle if you’re a local purist) snapping with lemon zest, bay leaf and thyme. But you’ll also find unicorn Clairette bottled only in magnum, Syrah that struts like The Rock, and even a Nebbiolo — yes, Nebbiolo — that proves Provence isn’t just about sticking to the script.
The Wines
The range at Grand Boise flips the Provence cliché on its head. The Sainte Victoire Blanc is a star-bright burst of citrus and herbs, Vermentino vigour with a limestone tug that leaves your palate buzzing. The 1610 Blanc shows another side entirely, with caramel, toasted oak and mirabelle jam aromas that feel more white Burgundy than sunny Provence. Then there’s the unicorn Clairette, a wine so elegant and textural that Jean and Ana Sofia only put it in magnums. The Syrah is all poise and muscle, cranberry and plum wrapped in fine tannins. And yes, they’ve gone and planted Nebbiolo in Provence. It shouldn’t work, but it does — blackcurrant purity, herbal lift, amphora charm. Even the rosés have depth: the Jadis shows strawberries, violets and saffron with a creamy texture thanks to a stint in concrete eggs.
Why Vagabond?
We love Grand Boise because it smashes the stereotype. This is Provence with edges: freshness, altitude, grit. These wines can go head-to-head with Burgundy, the Rhône, even Piedmont, and still stand tall. They’re the definition of brand-beaters — bottles that make you rethink what a region is capable of. We’ve been championing them for years because they surprise people every single time: “Wait, this is Provence?” Exactly. That’s why you’ll only find them here at Vagabond.
Chateau Grand Boise is proof that when you farm high, work hard, and respect your vines, Provence gives you something entirely new. For us at Vagabond, it’s the definition of discovery — and that’s why we’re pouring it.
