Terre des Dames
Terre des Dames is a wonderful place. Heaven on earth, so to speak. And when looking at the pictures, for many of us, at least since Ridley Scott's "A Good Year", surely the epitome of longing.
Surrounded by old stone walls, gorse bushes and wild garrigue, the 18th century estate is set in the rolling hills of the Languedoc, its vineyards facing south like an amphitheatre. Lidewij van Wilgen has lived on the estate for 20 years and, as owner and winemaker, is responsible for the extraordinary success of Terre des Dames.
Back to nature
Lidewij originally studied communication and wanted to become a journalist, but ended up managing the strategy department of a large advertising company for a few years. Over time, however, the desire for a more honest life closer to nature grew in her. She moved to France and began studying oenology at the University of Bézier before taking on responsibility for the winery and winemaking.
Ecological balance
Born in the Netherlands, she values the idea that her work helps to preserve 24 hectares of land and therefore works consistently according to biodynamic principles. A natural herb culture ensures an ecological balance in the vineyards all year round and also serves as a natural pest controller. 14 hectares of vineyards, divided into 25 small plots, are in yield, while the remaining part of the estate provides balance for fauna and flora through natural tree and bush cover and retains moisture, which in turn makes the vines less susceptible to disease. Several underground springs and rivers also provide cool, mineral freshness at the roots, which is also reflected in the wines.





Gentle processing
The vines, which are up to 100 years old, are harvested and selected exclusively by hand, and the yield remains below 35 hl per hectare. The vinification also follows gentle and minimally invasive processing steps.
The wines are sometimes matured in Burgundy barrels made of the finest French oak, as well as in clay amphorae, in order to preserve the fruitiness and minerality of the wines.
What is bottled is natural gentleness, pure, unadulterated and the finest expression of terroir.
Heaven on earth in the glass!
(this text is a copy of my work as Wine Buyer for Tesdorpf GmbH, the wines of Lidewij are available for purchase there: Terre des Dames bei Tesdorpf.de)