You would almost think of a biblical theme when reading the life course of the passionate winemaker Bruno Duffau. He traveled the world as a hydraulic engineer. Lived in Brazil and later in Kenya. For some 20 years he took his family (wife Anne and three children, Audrey, Simon and Yohan) with him.
Inspired by his contact with winegrowers (by water) in the Herault in France, but also with winemakers in Argentina and South Africa, Bruno decided to settle in Gaillac, a small town northeast of the city of Toulouse.
After overcoming the necessary obstacles, his dream came true in 2007 with the creation of Domaine Duffau, the first harvest followed two years later. In the beginning there was nothing at all except for a few vineyards. But this driven, highly organised, technically well-versed man made short work of a derelict knoll, a road was built in no time and a house was built under his leadership, opposite the wine 'outlet store', a storage for dry goods. goods with wine underneath make room. In the first term there were six concrete tubs that he received as a gift from the neighbor. But now there are nine small stainless steel vats and two epoxy storage vats. He bought three new concrete barrels to make red wine.
Part of the 15 ha. vineyards of the total 21 ha domain are owned, but there are also plots that are rented, a well-known system in many wine regions. Bruno describes it in one sentence: "A beautiful terroir in the green Gaillac, a happy winegrower and farmer plus high-quality local neighbors are my ingredients to make good wines off the beaten wine paths". He now also does this with a grape that is rarely seen. It concerns the 'loin de l'oeil'. This white grape has something special, the bunches grow relatively far from the mother vine. In collaboration with a local university, a technique was developed in which the spur of the vine, on which the bunches grow, is cut about 15 days before harvest. However, the ripening continues and the freshness in the grape is preserved.
