The Vaucluse, or “closed valley” to the Romans, has been buffeted by history and the fresh winds of the Mistral since ancient times. To this day, we still find coins bearing Caesar’s profile among the vines. Once farmland during the Roman period, Domaine du Tix once grew root vegetables, as well as olives and grapes; trees were burned for charcoal. Centuries later, the estate became refuge to pilgrims who’d climb the 100 meters upstream to the Chapel of Notre-Dame-des-Anges, where prayers were offered to ward off the plague or to ensure generous harvests. In 2001, Marie Pirsch and Philippe Danel acquired the enchanting site a distinctive terroir ideal for winemaking. The estate grafted more than 20,000 plants to create new strains. Happily, Bacchus smiled: 92% of the grafts were successful, heralding in a new era in wine production.