In Gigondas, cultivating grapes to make wine and olives to make oil stretches back to ancient times. As long ago as the 1st century BCE, Julius Caesar established a colony of veterans on this site. One is said to have been so jovial that he was nicknamed Jucundus, ‘the joyful’, and his village became known as Jocundatis, which later became Gigondas.
Although there is a long tradition of winemaking in Gigondas, its wines first achieved official recognition in 1971 when it obtained its own appellation Gigondas, Cru des Côtes du Rhône. Yet for some 2,000 years, the principal activity of this village nestled in the rugged Dentelles de Montmirail mountains has been winemaking. Today, some 200 winemakers continue this tradition.
Gigondas is above all the interaction of the land and its people. This stunning natural site has attracted settlers for millennia as well as inspiring many artists – musicians, painters, sculptors and writers. It is a unique place where nature, history, art and wine are intertwined in the way of life of its inhabitants.