Francois Arnaud

François Dauvergne and Jean-François Ranvier produce wines from the Rhône Valley under the name Francois Arnaud. The two winemakers have thus extended the portfolio of their wine group to the prestigious region in the east of France.

Two Francois for Francois Arnaud

François Dauvergne and Jean-François Ranvier decided in 2004 to extend their activities to the Rhône Valley and to produce high quality wines there. The two winemakers are leading the Dauvergne Ranvier group, with which they could already gain experience in Rhône wines.

As they did not own any vineyards in the Rhône Valley themselves, they secured the support of local vintners for Francois Arnaud. In order to maintain the quality, they do not only take the harvest material from the partners, but they also advise the wineries. This consulting starts with the pruning of the vines, green harvesting, and plant protection, and then continues in the cellar, where the vinification of the grapes for the FrancoisArnaud winesis accompanied. 

Different grape varieties are used for the wines of Francois Arnaud:

• Grenache
• Cinsault
• Mourvèdre
• Syrah

The Rhône Valley in its facets

Due to the different partners of Francois Arnaud, the wines of the brand come not only from one but several appellations within the Rhône Valley. The soils of the valley are extremely diverse, so the wines also show different characteristics. From limestone to sand to gravel, the river valley offers a mosaic of growing areas.

Typical for the valley are steep slopes, which can be found mainly between Lyon and Valence. The vineyards are laid out in terraces, the oldest of which are said to date back to Roman times, when legionnaires laid them out. The stone walls that support the terraces also provide temperature regulation during the day and night.

The climate of the valley is mainly continental in the north. In the south, towards the estuary, the climate changes to Mediterranean influences. The dryness limits the risk of diseases in the vines, which provides a certain protection against crop failures. 

Wine critics are enthusiastic

Thanks to their various partners, François Dauvergne and Jean-François Ranvier are able to select the vineyards and parcels they want to use for the wines of the Francois Arnaud brand.

The FrancoisArnaud wines enjoy a very good reputation among critics, they have already been praised by Gault & Millau, Jancis Robinson or the Guide Hachette des Vins. Enjoy the best of the Rhône Valley with this unique wine!