Our Estate,
a family affair

Our story begins with our ancestor Jean-Marie DESPRES. During the second half of the nineteenth century, he purchased a few vines along with a couple of heads of cattle and a small plot of farmland.

In 1920, his son Antoine DESPRES takes over this small farming operation

In 1944, while the second World War is still raging, Marie-Louise DESPRES, Antoine and Marie-Louise’s daughter, marries Pierre JOMIN. The family operation keeps expanding and now owns 4 hectares of vines.

Fernand GRAVALLON marries Renée JOMIN, Pierre and Marie-Louise’s daughter.

The Fernand Gravallon Estate pursues its expansion and now owns 10 hectares of Chiroubles, Fleurie and Morgon vines.

Cathy, Fernand and Renée Gravallon’s daughter, joins the family business in 1997. Founded by her great-great-grandfather, the Estate keeps on growing.

Cedric, Cathy’s husband, joins the business, as a winemaking worker at first.

2 years after his arrival within the Fernand Gravallon Estate, Cedric creates his own Estate and completes his first harvest, while he’s still employed by the Gravallon Estate.

In 2003, the Lathuiliere-Gravallon company, including Cedric, is formed. 128 years after Jean-Marie DESPRES purchased his first vines, the Lathuilière-Gravallon Estate is officially born.

We plant our very first white Chardonnay vines – they will produce our Beaujolais Blanc Roche Noire wine.

We add a new Brouilly Pisse Vieille plot to the Estate following the retirement of Cédric’s parents, Jean and Raymonde Lathuilière, winemakers as well. That same year, Fernand and Renée Gravallon also retire from the business.

In 2018, we complete the first harvest for our GAM vintage, “Jamais sans mon Gamay” (“Not without my Gamay”). This vintage is vinified without any added sulphur or yeast.

That year, we also obtain our HEV label (High Environmental Value), guaranteeing that our wines are produced in accordance with all principles of conservation of the environment.