A wine is defined by its grape variety or carefully crafted blend, a renowned estate or a historic cuvée. But it can also be distinguished by an unusual name or an intriguing label that sparks curiosity… as is the case with La Fontaine Miraculeuse, Le Pigeonnier and Les 7 Terres at the Cave de Pazac winery in Meynes.

First a stagecoach stop where horses could rest, then a hunting lodge before becoming a traditional Provençal farmhouse, the Cave de Pazac site in Meynes has lived many lives. It has been home to winemaking since 1968. Jean-Louis Boyer, who has been the winery’s cellar master for 39 years, knows its history well. “It was people who had returned from Algeria who began making wine from the local vineyards and founded the cooperative winery,” he explains.

Nestled among the vineyards on the road to Redessan, the winery has retained its human scale since its creation. Today, it is still made up of seven winegrowers. “It makes it easier to manage production and make decisions,” smiles Jean-Louis Boyer, who will soon retire. Local winegrowers have now taken up the torch. The cooperative’s president is none other than Nicolas Seydoux, head of the Gaumont group and great-uncle of actress Léa Seydoux.

Working across 300 hectares of vineyards spread between Meynes, Redessan, Bezouce and Lédenon, the winegrowers produce white, red and rosé wines. The winery is “one of the last to have been established in the Gard department,” according to the cellar master. Most of its wines are produced under the Costières de Nîmes appellation, alongside wines from the Coteaux du Pont du Gard and Côtes-du-Rhône areas.

La Fontaine Miraculeuse and Its Legendary Healing Powers

The winery’s rich history is something its winegrowers have sought to preserve through their bottles. One of the best-known cuvées is La Fontaine Miraculeuse, or “The Miraculous Fountain”. Its evocative name comes from a well-known local legend about a spring whose waters were believed to have healing properties.

“During the great battle against the Saracens, legend has it that Charles Martel treated his soldiers using water from the Font-Cluse spring in Meynes. Their wounds are said to have healed after they bathed them in its waters,” explains Jean-Louis Boyer. The spring’s reputation quickly spread.

Over the centuries, the spring’s supposed healing powers became known far beyond the village. Several illustrious figures are said to have visited Meynes, including Charlemagne, Francis I of France, Marguerite de Valois and Louis XIII. “With the arrival of modern medicine, the fountain gradually fell into disuse,” the specialist continues.

Grapes Treated with Special Care

Today, although the legend remains well known, wine lovers are drawn to this cuvée not for its supposed healing properties but for its distinctive character: it is made from 80% Carignan.

“It’s an old grape variety that we harvest by hand. We use carbonic maceration, which requires whole grapes. That’s why it’s the last variety we pick. We take our time and handle it with particular care,” explains Jean-Louis Boyer.

This intracellular fermentation process produces very little juice at first. After around ten days, the grapes are removed from the vat, resulting in a wine with particularly expressive aromas.

With a touch of Syrah and Mourvèdre, the wine reveals notes reminiscent of the garrigue, the Mediterranean scrubland. On the palate, it offers “a velvety texture”, with aromas recalling pomegranate juice, “as well as garrigue herbs and tapenade,” according to the cellar master.

He describes it as a fairly full-bodied wine that can be enjoyed both young and after ageing. “It ages quite well. As it matures, it retains a pronounced fruit character,” he adds.

Le Pigeonnier, Les 7 Terres and Medenas

La Fontaine Miraculeuse is not the only cuvée with a story to tell. The wines also reflect the history of the farmhouse and the surrounding village.

Le Pigeonnier, one of the winery’s historic cuvées, takes its name from the dovecote tower that still stands on the property. This blend of wines from different growers is available in all three colours.

The rosé is made from 85% Grenache Noir, complemented by Syrah and Cinsault. The white combines Vermentino, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Bourboulenc and Marsanne. The red is predominantly Syrah, with Mourvèdre, Marselan and Carignan.

“It’s a very supple wine that can be enjoyed on any occasion, with soft tannins and aromas of Grenache and red fruit,” explains the winery’s sales assistant. It can also be served slightly chilled, making it an ideal companion for summer meals.

Another Pazac cuvée, Medenas, pays tribute to the village itself. Medenas was the former name of Meynes before it was renamed. “It meant ‘in the middle’, because Meynes lies between several hamlets,” explains Jean-Louis Boyer.

Produced under the IGP Pays du Pont du Gard designation, the red Medenas is made from Syrah, Caladoc, Grenache Noir, Marselan, Alicante, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The cellar master describes it as “easy-drinking, very pleasant and fruity.”

Finally, Les 7 Terres represents the seven winegrowers who belong to the cooperative. This cuvée is stored in a former water reservoir from the city of Nîmes, which the winery recovered and repurposed.

At the Cave de Pazac, where history is woven into every detail, nothing is left to chance, from the choice of grapes to the design of the label. It is a way of keeping local legends alive in every glass, right down to the last drop.

 

Article written by Emeline Andreani, published on 21 August 2026 in Midi Libre.