The Campdumy estate is bordered by the Via Aurelia and has a rich historical heritage, evidence of which is to be found in certain Romain remains. Campdumy in fact means "wine harvest fields" in old Provençal.

The ancient milestone you can admire in our tasting cellar was found on the estate and dates back to NERO's reign (58 A.D.). A translation of the Latin text is available.

Philémon Gavoty bought the property in 1806.

Since then 8 successive generations have succeeded him. In 1960 André Gavoty, a literary journalist for La Revue Des Deux Mondes, handed over management of the estate to his nephew Pierre (1925-2006) .

Bernard Gavoty, (1906-1980), a music critic with the Le Figaro newspaper using the pseudonym CLARENDON, inherited the Petit Campdumy estate and went into business with Pierre to commercialise together the wines from both estates: Petit and Grand Campdumy.

  After Bernard passed away in 1980, the Gavoty Estate, which at that time consisted of two 50 hectare properties, made the strategic decision to commercialise its wines via a traditional circuit of restaurants, cellars, businesses and private individuals. When the two vineyards separated in 1997 (sale of Bernard's property) production was reduced to less than 50 hectares.

 

Throughout this time, Pierre and Bernard worked hard to defend this wine-producing area, firstly by enabling several municipalities including Cabasse to be included in the Cotes de Provence appelation, and also by striving to promote its image. They were great visionaries since it took more than 20 years for the appellation to fully realise its potential.

A strong character from the agricultural community called Nicodem Dotto left his mark on the life of the estate from 1940 to 1980. He was the estate manager and experienced the unimaginable cultural shock of changing from the horse-drawn plough to motorisation with the arrival of the first tractors.

From 1985 onwards Roselyne Gavoty took charge of wine-making and gave new commercial impetus to the vineyard. Then in 2001 she took charge of the entire business operation, with the help of her husband Hervé.

Nico Dotto: " the first "winegrower" tractor arrived on the Campdumy estate in 1947 or 1948. It was a "centaur" that we bought from the American surplus stores (previously used to tow aircraft), and it remained in use until 1980!" "I was told by the old-timers here that to enlarge the cellar in 1895, long 15 m beams were brought to the estate. They were dragged by horses from the Carnoules railway station some 20 km away."  
 
 
 
     
[ One of the oldest areas of Provence in the same family since 1806, very rare today!]