The Lavau family and its love of wine, its passion for the land and the soil began in Saint Emilion in the 19th century. The story then continued to be written in Tunisia where René Lavau and his son transformed a small property of vineyards and orange trees into a flourishing business that became the most important wine producer in the country. Returning to France in the 1960s, Jean-Guy Lavau, René's grandson, and his wife Anne-Marie took over a small winery in Sablet in the heart of the Rhone Valley and created the LAVAU house in 1965. Some 30 years later, Frédéric and Benoît Lavau joined the family business, which had become a recognized and respected quality winemaker in the Rhône Valley. They perpetuated their winemaking activity and enriched their know-how by becoming creators of vintages and producers. They acquired several estates in the Rasteau, Valréas and Côtes du Rhône appellations and joined forces with Château Maucoil in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.