FERME DES SEPT LUNES
Northern Rhone, France
The climb to the hilltop of the Bogy is a slow zig zag on a one-lane road through a tunnel of trees and lush vegetation. As you reach the clearing you arrive at La Ferme des Sept Lunes, a polycultural farm in the appellation of Saint Joseph between Vienne and Valence. Founded in 1984 by current proprietor Jean Delobre’s grandfather, the estate is covered in vines, orchards and fields of grain. Over the years, acre by acre, the estate was converted to organic farming, and since 1997 Jean has been biodynamically cultivating seven hectares of Sryah, Roussane, Marsanne, Gamay and Viognier. La Ferme des Sept Lunes is comprised of a patchwork of vineyards ranging in vine age and composition, all on a bedrock of granite. The terraced Saint Joseph vineyards below the converted barn-winery are majestic in their biodiversity. Wild flowers and grasses grow in and around the vines, and the occasional iris adds a vibrant pop of color. In Jean’s words, “a vineyard is a big garden” and he is clearly a devoted caretaker with a very green thumb.
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