My Account
Our History
The story begins in 1288! The Constant family was already cultivating vines in the 13th century and the mastering passed from generation to generation.
The ancestors cultivated the vines in the traditional way, by plowing and respecting the environment. Today we cultivate in the same way and our wines have been certified organic since 2009.
In 1970 Raymond, who until then vinified the wines in small houses in the vineyards, decided to build a cellar in order to simplify the work and therefore be able to devote more time to each vat.
His son, Alain, joins him in this adventure after a short professional experience in plumbing which will quickly be aborted in favor of the family business and the passion for wine. Jeanne, who will give her name to the estate, was on the side of her son and her husband.
Since then, Alain and Anne have perpetuated the work and are committed to producing quality wines, typical of the Bandol appellation in which they belong. He strives to make the place attractive and pleasant to welcome passing customers or the loyal ambassadors who love Ray-Jane.
Today and for a few years now, the new generation represented by Julien and Vincent has been working with their parents so that the story of Ray-Jane continues.
Julien, who loves the outdoors and nature takes care of the vines. Whatever the time of day or night, he gets down to work in his plots. He knows them by heart and knows exactly what they need.
Vincent, meanwhile, is applied in the cellar to vinify the wine, to raise it so that it tastes perfectly. A work of patience and precision to produce quality wines. One thing is certain, he strives to respect what his ancestors did by vinifying in the traditional way, in whole harvests so that the wines age over time and are faithful to their identity.
Brothers linked by work because as they like to say: if the grapes are not beautiful then the wine cannot be good.
A historic terroir, witness to a thousand-year-old family history that never runs out of steam.
The Winemaking
Shaped over time, our vineyard is made up of more than a third of hundred-year-old vines on thirty-four hectares (soon to be thirty-nine) of clay-limestone soil staged in terraces of dry stones, essentially made up of the king grape variety of the Appellation. Bandol : the Mourvèdre.
In addition to Mourvèdre, the Grenache, Carignan, Syrah, Cinsault, Ugni Blanc and Clairette grape varieties are present in the production of our exceptional wines.
It extends over the municipalities of Le Castellet, La Cadière, Bandol, Sanary-sur-Mer and Le Beausset.
Rosé and White
The grapes are harvested only in the morning to preserve the aromas and color.
Once they arrive in the cellar, the grapes are pressed, the first juices and the free-run juices are transferred to vats for settling. They are then drawn off into another vat so that the alcoholic fermentation takes place at low temperature.
Red
Once the grapes have arrived at the cellar, the bunches are crushed and put in the vats for maceration in whole bunches for four to five weeks.
The alcoholic fermentation takes place at this time. Then the wines are racked and pressed.
They are then put in tuns for a minimum of 22 months, the malolactic fermentation will take place at this time.
The Cellar
Before 1970 the Constant family owned five cellars and sold their wines wholesale or in carboys, it was then that Raymond Constant reunited the cellar and the estate in one place to create the Domaine Ray-Jane in order to sell his wine to individuals.
He then created the first cellar in Bandol made up of stainless steel vats to vinify his wine.
In order to create optimal conditions for the vinification of their wines, they installed a refrigeration unit (air conditioning) and were therefore the precursors in France of this manufacturing method.
Many French winegrowers subsequently took advice from the family regarding their experience in the field of vinification in temperature-controlled vats.
Traditional Winery
Mainly made up of French oak tuns, between one and a hundred years old, to which are added a few barrels and demi-muids for the Insolite cuvée.This wide range of containers makes it possible to structure the wine in different ways with a more or less long wooden passage depending on the desired product. This allows us to create a unique wine fitting our image.
Modern Winery
It is made up of stainless steel tanks whose modernity contrasts with the traditional side.
These vats make it possible to vinify wines at low temperatures.
