Read on if you are looking for a hidden gem and love interesting wines which combine tradition with modernity from an up-and-coming French appellation. Domaine Bois de Devès is nestled in the heart of Frontonnais—35 km north of Toulouse in Southwest France. You wonder what you will find as you drive up the bumpy dirt track through the Castelnau d’Estretefonds woods in search of the British winemaker making a sound impression on the locals.
The Story
Nicholas Smith was travelling around France in a beat-up old van with his wife Pauline in the early twenty-teens when a realisation came to them: life in France producing your own wine is probably a better way of life than the other options open to them on the closure of the drums shop in Brighton where Nicholas had worked, living his musical dream with The Green Hornets.
So, on their return to the UK, Nicholas went off to Plumpton College to learn all about winemaking. Then, it was back to France to learn the practical stuff in the main wine-growing regions. The timing was perfect—the Smith family moved weeks ahead of Brexit and the subsequent challenges of emigrating to France.
Fronton AOC
Fronton AOC is an Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) for wine in the département of Haute-Garonne and Tarn-et-Garonne.
After spending time in the Loire, they felt Fronton in Haute-Garonne was a good choice to settle permanently and strike out on their own. It was not an expensive area, but it had good potential and was in a part of the country where they felt they could integrate and fit in. So, in 2020, a 10-hectare vineyard was bought together with some woodland and a traditional Occitanie farmhouse.
Bois de Devès, Wines
Domaine Bois de Devès has three well-established grapes, the local Negrette, Malbec and Syrah.
Since his arrival, Nicholas has planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. He is not afraid to innovate and produces nine different wines, including a sweet red called Intro Outro, made from 100% Negrette. All the reds are basket-pressed, which always sends us Aussies wild.
Wine tasting dégustation.
A visit to Domaine Bois de Devès is such a casual affair that Nick brings out a cooler bag full of half-drunk bottles of whatever he has to sell and shares it around. Being the nominated driver, I have to leave it to Mr Wren, who is in his absolute element as they taste, discuss and ponder the wines.
Tasting Nicholas’ wines outside his farmhouse was so much fun, with the chickens at our feet free-ranging around expectantly. The Domaine wines are very good, and it’s great to discover these full-flavoured, approachable, and easy-to-drink wines. They are outstanding value, too!
So we duly stock up, regretting our limited luggage allowance on our flight home from nearby Toulouse.
How to visit
Wine tours and Wine Tastings
Meet the winemaker and owner, Nicholas Smith, for a guided vineyard and winery tour. Learn about wine production, from grape cultivation to the science and creativity behind making complex wines, which you’ll taste during your visit.
- Duration: 2 hours
- Languages: English or French
- Cost: €20 per person, or €16 each for groups of four or more (includes a €10 voucher for boutique purchases over €50)
Tours are by appointment only—book in advance to ensure availability. See the website for all details.
Volunteering
Another option, if you really want to liberate your inner vigneron, is to arrange to go during the vendange and volunteer to pick. Everything is hand-picked, so it’s hard work, and there is lots to do. The grape harvest usually takes place in the second half of September.
Stay at the Vineyard
No, not in the farmhouse, but Domaine Des Devès is part of France Passion, and you can park your campervan overlooking the vineyards.
Special Events
Domaine Bois de Devès has garnered a strong local following for special events like The Deves Afterwork. Here, Nicholas combines his wines with his love of music. Offering wine tastings with music and the opportunity to buy a Planches Gourmand food platter, The Deves Afterwork is becoming increasingly popular.
Check out any upcoming events on Domaine Bois de Devè’s Facebook page.
The Details
Domaine Bois de Devès is definitely off the beaten track, found up a dirt road through the woods!
Address: Domaine Bois de Devès, 2255 Route de Fronton, 31620 Castelnau d’Estretefonds
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday, 11-12 noon and 2-7 pm. Weekends 2-6 pm
Phone: 06 80 54 85 10
Email: contact@domaineboisdedeves.com
Getting here
By Air: The nearest Airport is Toulouse Blagnac. There are flights to 85 destinations across the globe, including Bristol, Birmingham, Dublin, and Edinburgh. There are 21 flights per week to London. Ten flights a week are to Montreal, Canada. Flights can also be found from and to Dubai and Doha.
Rental Car: We rented our car with Europcar and returned it to their depot at Toulouse Airport.
Final Thoughts
We could not have had a warmer welcome at Domaine Bois de Deves. As you wander through the vines, scanning the stunning scenery and then drift back to the farmhouse through the oak woods, you can really feel that Nicholas is living the dream. To have done it twice with his career behind the drums coming before, you can only nod in agreement when Nicholas says he has been very lucky… however, we all know you make your own luck.
Wishing you the best of everything, Nicholas as you continue to build Domaine Bois de Deves.
Disclosure: Little Wandering Wren was a Destination Occitanie guest exploring this region with Haute Garonne Tourism. All opinions are my own. A grand merci beaucoup from us!
Follow us on Social Media: Find more photos of my travels and stories on Instagram @littlewanderingwren.
For more information on the Haute-Garonne region, see Enjoying the Great Outdoors at Saint Ferreol Lake.
Or in Tarn et Garonne:
2 comments
Such a beautiful place! Loved to read the story of this winemaker too.
Thank you, this was such a great visit! We loved the wines and hope one day to return for grape picking (and more wines) Note to self don’t fly to France, I hate it when we can’t fill up the boot with good wines.
Have a great day!
Wren x