This vineyard area is one of the most ancient in France, dating back to the first Greek colonies in southern France. It is a borderland between Provence on the East and Languedoc on the West, on the right bank (western bank) of the Rhône river and the small arm of its delta, beyond which is Petite Camargue and its brackish ponds. The vines are planted on hills with alluvial soil covered with galets, siliceous pebbles called “gress”. The climate is dry and warm, with little rain fall and the drying effect of the Mistral wind, but the Mediterranean sea is very close and provides some coolness and humidity. The region was granted an AOC in 1986 and adopted the name Costières-de-Nîmes in 1989.

Mas Saint-Joseph is a one-plot, 18 hectares estate, located on the Meynes-Redessan plateau on the Northern edge of the AOC. The varietals are Syrah, Grenache and Carignan, with more Syrah than is common locally, and the vines are on average 30 years old.

Philippe Béraud took over this estate in 2000, after having lived several lives and been through several careers, notably as a businessman in the Middle East and a Harley Davidson rep outside of L.A. He approaches his new profession with great enthusiasm, and has already achieved a measure of success with his first vintage, 2001. With low yields in well-aged Syrah vines, he obtained healthy grapes that fermented on their natural yeast, and were aged in cement tanks. Béraud is progressively converting his vineyard work to organic agriculture.