John Malkovich and his partner, bought a farmhouse in Vaucluse and the land surrounding it located in the mountain village of Lacoste, where the Marquis de Sade once lived, in 2008 they planted the first vines on the property in deep clay soils on the site of an ancient lake.

Going against the grain, rather than opting for the tried and tested trio of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre, Malkovich chose to plant Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Carménère, having been inspired by a newspaper article that claimed Pinot’s roots in Vaucluse date back to the reign of Louis XIV.