Domaine Sainte Marie is the estate that doesn’t fit neatly into any category — and that’s exactly what makes it worth the drive. Forty hectares of organic and biodynamic vines in the hills behind Bormes-les-Mimosas, punctuated by contemporary art installations, grazing donkeys and sheep, and a creative energy that sets it apart from every other domaine on the Var coast.

This is wine as culture: a place where the terroir conversation extends beyond soil and grape to encompass painting, photography, sculpture, and the conviction that the best wines come from land that is truly alive.

Where Vines Meet Art

The art exhibitions at Sainte Marie rotate through the seasons, with works by painters, photographers, and sculptors displayed among the vines, in the cellars, and across the estate grounds. The effect is striking: a bronze figure catching the light between rows of Mourvèdre, a photograph propped against a stone wall, a ceramic piece tucked into an olive grove.

The art isn’t decorative — it’s integral to the estate’s identity and to the experience of visiting. It slows you down, makes you look more carefully, and creates a dialogue between human expression and the natural world that produces the wine in your glass.

Biodynamic by Conviction

Sainte Marie’s biodynamic approach is genuine and thorough: cover crops, lunar planting, natural preparations, and a menagerie of animals — donkeys, sheep, chickens — that keep the vineyard ecosystem in balance. The wines reflect this vitality: the rosé is bright and precise, the white is aromatic and textured, and the red has a warmth and generosity that speaks of healthy, living soil.

Tasting experiences range from €10 to €35, with options that combine wine, art, and a guided walk through the vines.

Practical Information

Location: Hills above Bormes-les-Mimosas

Getting there: About 50 minutes from Villa Mauricette.

Tastings: €10–€35 experiences available. Check website for schedule.

Wines: Rosé, Red, White (all organic & biodynamic)

Appellation: Côtes de Provence

Website: domainesaintemarie.fr

Mauricette’s Tip

Combine Sainte Marie with Château de Brégançon and Domaine de Léoube for a Bormes wine trio — three organic estates, three distinct personalities, one unforgettable afternoon. End the day in Bormes-les-Mimosas for dinner among the flowers.

Art, wine, and living soil — the Var’s most creative estate, within reach of Villa Mauricette.