Château Mourgues du Grès was once an agricultural commune of the Ursulines de Beaucaire, an order of nuns committed to the education of girls. In Provençal, “mourgues” is the word for nuns, and “grès” are the galets that cover the landscape in a manner nearly identical to those in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The estate is now owned and run by François and Anne Collard who have committed themselves to organic viticulture and minimal environmental impact. The estate’s motto comes from the sundial that adorns the southern façade of the main building. “Sine sole nihil” is Latin for “nothing without the sun,” a tribute to the region’s Mediterranean climate and the Collard’s environmental principals.
