Domaine L’Île Rouge

Madagascar Roots, Bordeaux Soul

In the heart of Bordeaux’s Entre-Deux-Mers lies Domaine L’Île Rouge, a small, passionate domain where memory, soil, and experimentation converge. Founded by Antonin Jamois, the estate transforms a personal journey and agronomic curiosity into natural, living wines with character.

From Island to Vineyard

Antonin’s story begins far from Bordeaux. Trained in agronomy, he spent years in Madagascar, running an organic shrimp farm and even a boutique hotel. But when his daughter was born, the pull of roots and soil brought the family back to France. In 2014, they settled in Lugasson, Entre-Deux-Mers, where Antonin’s in-laws owned some vineyard parcels. It was there that Domaine L’Île Rouge was born—named in homage to Madagascar, “the Red Island.”

Rather than taking over a large, established domain, Antonin started small—recovering and developing plots in isolation, embedded among meadows and forest.

Terroir, Vines & Biodiversity

The vineyards cover a modest 2 to 2.7 hectares, planted on shallow soils of clay-limestone resting on “calcaire à astéries” (a limestone type with fossil starfish) bedrock.

Antonin works organic agriculture (certified since 2016) and draws on permaculture and biodynamic inspiration to bolster soil life and vineyard resilience.

To nuance his portfolio, he began grafting and introducing Castets and Mancin, old Bordeaux red varieties, alongside Merlot. These lesser-known grapes help increase complexity and identity.

The property also includes woodland, meadows, fruit trees, and ancient cereals—an agroecological approach that fosters biodiversity and ecological balance.

Winemaking Philosophy & Methods

Antonin’s winemaking is defined by natural, low-intervention ideals:

• Manual harvesting (by hand, into small crates) to preserve fruit integrity.

• Indigenous yeast fermentations, without added sulfur or oenological inputs.

• Gentle extraction regimes to avoid over-manipulation of tannins.

• Gravity-based transfers (minimal pumping) and use of a subterranean cellar / old quarry for aging, allowing constant cool conditions and elegant maturation.

• For pétillants, he uses early harvest fruit and subsequent cellar aging, allowing them to ferment in situ in cool conditions.

Depending on cuvée, aging might be done in barrels, used wood, or neutral vessels to preserve freshness and terroir voice.

Signature Wines & Expressions

Some of the notable cuvées produced include:

• Grande Terre — a Merlot vintage cultivated with meticulous selection, aged in barrels, zero added sulfur, intended as a “grand vin” of the domaine.

• Confluence — a blend that combines Merlot with Castets (and possibly Mancin) to reflect the domain’s evolving identity.

• Petite Terre — a more immediate expression, often fermented in cuve, with gentle extraction and emphasis on purity of fruit.

• Masclaret — a skin-contact version of Merlot: deep in color but preserving freshness like a white wine.

• Pét-Nat Rouge — a natural sparkling red made 100% Merlot, zero / zero style (no added sulfur) with light spice and berry fruit.

These wines are often marketed under Vin de France rather than strict Bordeaux appellations, to give the winemaker freedom in expression.