Domaine du Petit Oratoire
Winemakers
Lori Haon
Type of agriculture
Biodynamic (Uncertified)
Vineyard area
19 ha
Country, Region, Subregion
Lori Haon is a young, talented winemaker who farms 19 hectares in Valliguieres, not far from Avignon.
His beautiful parcels are spread across a variety of terroir, most on sandy soils with a limestone bedrock, others on the rare 'lauzes blanches' similar to nearby Tavel, and 4 hectares leased in Souvignargues on the unique Grés soils of that area.
In 2015 Lori was looking for a small vineyard to get into winemaking. Hoping for a manageable 3 hectares, his dad by chance found a 15 hectare estate for sale on listings site Le Bon Coin and decided to bid on it immediately for Lori, saying he could pay him back later.
Lori wasn't expecting to take over 15ha right away but was happy rise to the challenge. With the help of both his uncle in Drôme and our mutual friend Thierry Forestier, Lori quickly got to grips with a larger estate. Nature threw a few hurdles in his direction to test his resolve though. The first three vintages were marred by a wild-boar attack, an 80% loss to frost, and a 75% loss to mildew consecutively.
Not one to be discouraged, Lori often jokes that he's a survivor, and finally had his resolve rewarded in 2020 with his first bumper-crop: "2020 was my first very, very good vintage since I started. We managed to pick nearly twice as much as the other years, and the quality was easily twice as good as we'd had before!"
Lori fell in love with natural wine whilst studying oenology in Alsace, and has been working organically since 2015. He's been in biodynamic conversion for the last few years, and for the 2021 vintage he hopes to have achieved certification.
As climate change plays havoc with many of his neighbours in other departments of the Gard, Lori; mostly isolated in Valliguieres, considers himself very lucky:
"We have a little micro-climate here. Valliguières is special. We have a little river, and all around the town we're surrounded by mountains. The mountains and the river bring so much freshness. The climate is changing quickly, but here much less so than other regions nearby."
Across his parcels, Lori tends to a wide array of varieties, among them: Grenache, Carignan, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Pinot Noir, Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Grenache Gris, Grenache Blanc, Riesling, Roussanne and Viognier. He likes to play fast and loose with his distinctions between whites and reds, with traditional varietals for one style often finding themselves in the tank for another.
Even in the short couple of years we have known Lori, his style continues to sharpen and develop: macerations for reds are very gentle, aiming for precise, delicate extractions. His whites switch between bright wines for refreshment, and more complex terroir-focused expressions. Sulphur is rarely used in any of his multiple cuvees, and if ever- in tiny doses.
2021 was another knockout year at Petit Oratoire and we’re really excited to share the new vintages with you.
Lori Haon: bring on the new Gard!
FOR ANY UK WHOLESALE AND STOCK ENQUIRIES, PLEASE CONTACT HELLO@WINESUTB.COM
Wines
Lori's fullest expression of the Rhone, with a real balance between acidity and power.
An almost Tavel-style deep rosé, with the briefest maceration to yield iridescent fruit.
A lively field-blend of all 13 of Lori's varieties, assembled in one tank slowly over harvest. Light, aromatic, juicy, neon-bright and bags of fun.
Precise, nimble and pretty blend of Grenache and Cinsault with crystalline freshness and neat line of acidity.
From Lori’s leased plots over in Souvignargues. Fleshy, tropical fruit and a refreshing, tangy acidity.
This year a majority Syrah blend, and 90% whole bunch rather than last year’s 50/50 split of whole bunches and de-stemmed. Dark-fruited, juicy and clean.
A fleshy field-blend, held in balance with a burst of acidity. Limestone soils help bring freshness.
Hugely moreish blend of red and white varietals, one for the fridge!
Lori’s little wine making big waves: Jajatoès makes a triumphant return, packed to the rafters with citrus and salt.
Bright, bouncing and detailed. Don’t think too hard about how to categorise it, get it chilled and in your glass.
Unbelievably bright, juicy and direct for such a hot year. Lori’s fresh-head prevails!
From Lori’s secret garden of buried Qvevri dedicated to experimental one-off cuvees, the opportunity to take a little Grenache Gris from our friend Anthony at Domaine Bartassou inspired this macerated number. Profoundly deep, long and herbal: briney macerated blood orange and rooibos tea.
Lori’s top red cuvee, from his oldest vines (90-100 years) planted in between the large limestone pebbles that give the wine it’s name. Worked delicately, this is supple and regal, heady with violets and spice: wonderfully accomplished winemaking.
When the yields are high in and around the Lauzes Blanche parcel, the fruit from the younger vines fills a tank to become ‘Bouchon Trop’. A detailed & juicy lighter red with substance. Great acidity and lift in 2021.
One for breakfast, arriving at a nimble 10% and bottled in the appropriate litre format, under crown cap to reduce any friction between the fridge and your glass. Crunchy juicy fun.
Swapping cellar space for grapes with Antony & Audrey at Bartassou, Lori had some Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay to work with in '22. Waiting for a new press to arrive, he decided to macerate the fruit. A bright and pithy number with a spring in its step.
A proper skin-maceration in 2022 as Lori waited for his new press to arrive but wanted to pick early to retain acidity. Great results, a lovely fleshy, stone-fruit orange lifted with great acids.
An upgrade for Copains Blanc, Gratte Conil is the new label name (but historic vineyard name) for the co-planted parcel Lori cherishes, picked for this wine. Direct, saline, with layers of developing complexity.
A new one from Lori, a tart, dark fruited and supple red, its perfumes lifted with the lightning bolt of Bourboulenc.
A wine so moreish Lori decided to bottle it as a litre format for 2022. Giddy on its cocktail of bright fruit and acid. Juicy cherries, parma violets, pink elephants.
Lori made a lively, aromatic rosé in honour of his little brother, Louis.
Rosé for 3 year olds then.