Maison Ventenac

Despite successful corporate jobs in Paris, and no formal winemaking experience, Stéphanie and Olivier Ramé decided to change their lives by taking the reins of the family wine estate in the northwest area of the Languedoc when Stéphanie’s father in law announced an intention to sell. At the time, the estate was happily producing only three wines; a red, white and rosé made in bulk and bottled from a truck, recalls Olivier Ramé who quickly embarked on the OIV master’s degree and travelled to 30 countries around the world to ‘learn from the outside’.

Ramé was particularly inspired by the traditional winemaking styles in Georgia (prompting the use of amphorae vessels for his own wines) as well as enjoying Cabernet Franc from central European countries and Riesling from Germany but it was a desire to see why a certain wine succeeded or not commercially that really interested him.

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