Cave De Saint-Chinian

What Cave De Saint-Chinian does

Cave de Saint-Chinian is a French agricultural cooperative winery founded in 1937 in the village of Saint-Chinian (Hérault, Occitanie). It is owned and operated by 100 independent member winegrowers who collectively cultivate 600 hectares of vineyard across six communes — Saint-Chinian, Assignan, Prades-sur-Vernazobres, Babeau-Bouldoux, Cazedarnes, and Pierrerue — on schist and argilo-calcaire soils, at altitudes between 120 and 300 meters, with an average yield of ~38 hl/ha. The cooperative produces approximately 25,000 hectoliters per year across 19 grape varieties (9 white, 10 red), and since the 2000s has transitioned exclusively to bottled wine under the AOP Saint-Chinian, IGP Pays d'Oc, IGP Pays d'Hérault, and Vin de France appellations. Its core production infrastructure is the caveau at Chemin de Sorteilho in Saint-Chinian, with secondary experimental use of the Courniou grotto for wine aging. The portfolio spans AOP cuvées (Caractère, Renaud de Valon, L'Esprit de Renaud de Valon, L'Incontournable, 1937), single-varietal IGP/Vin de France wines (Carignan, Syrah-Viognier, Mourvèdre, Merlot, Vermentino), the Les Secrets and 8 Secrets ranges, the Un Air de Famille collection, and a proprietary L'Art en Cave® line of limited editions whose labels reproduce contemporary-art frescoes painted on the cooperative's concrete vats since 2013.

The business operates a multi-channel go-to-market: direct-to-consumer sales at a caveau open seven days a week, an e-commerce shop (vin-saintchinian.shop) shipping domestically and internationally, wholesale distribution to French retailers, and export to approximately ten countries. A growing œnotourism vertical monetizes L'Art en Cave, expositions, treasure hunts, the Tremplin Musical event, corporate/private hire, and an online virtual tour. Pricing is unit-based and varies by cuvée, with three implicit tiers (AOP Saint-Chinian core, IGP/Vin de France atypiques, and limited/exceptional cuvées); prices are not publicly disclosed. The cooperative holds ISO 9001:2015, is in transition to Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE), and in 2025 became one of the first French cooperative wineries to obtain B Corp certification. Leadership consists of Yves Borel (President) and Geoffrey Boulade (Commercial Director), and the entity is not externally owned — it is a member-governed cooperative with no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no funding rounds.

Customer segments are predominantly long-tail: French and international wine consumers purchasing at the caveau or online, tourists and event visitors, and professional distributors for domestic and export channels. The company is privately held, with no external investors, no subsidiaries, and no disclosed revenue figures.

Name

Cave De Saint-Chinian

Legal name

Cave de Saint-Chinian

Website

https://vignerons-saintchinian.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cave de Saint-Chinian is a 1937-founded French cooperative winery owned by 100 member winegrowers, producing ~25,000 hl per year of AOP Saint-Chinian and IGP wines across 600 ha, sold via caveau, e-commerce, wholesale, export to ~10 countries, and an L'Art en Cave® œnotourism program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wine Production

NAICS

Wineries (31213), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482), Beverage Manufacturing (3121)

SIC

Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD), Fine Wine & Luxury Spirits Retail (CRANABAE)

Keywords

• Cooperative winery
• AOP Saint-Chinian wine
• Languedoc wine production
• Bottled wine sales
• Wine tourism experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-Chinian

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Vente de vins conditionnés en bouteille: Depuis les années 2000, la cave ne produit que du vin conditionné en bouteille. Production annuelle d'environ 25 000 hl répartis entre AOP Saint-Chinian et IGP (Pays d'Oc, Pays d'Hérault, Mont de la Grage)
2. Vente au caveau / cave d'exploitation: Économat ouvert 7j/7 avec dégustation et vente directe aux visiteurs. Adresse: Chemin de Sorteilho, 34360 Saint-Chinian, ouvert toute l'année avec horaires saisonniers
3. Boutique en ligne: Vente directe aux consommateurs via la boutique en ligne vin-saintchinian.shop avec expédition en France et à l'international
4. Œnotourisme et événements: Revenus générés par les événements artistiques (L'Art en Cave), visites virtuelles, expositions, et expériences œnotouristiques
5. Export international: Export sur une dizaine de pays avec wines различных марок продаваемых на международных рынках

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Cave de Saint-Chinian is a cooperative winery that produces, ages, bottles and sells wines under AOP Saint-Chinian, IGP Pays d'Oc, IGP Pays d'Hérault and Vin de France designations. It cultivates 600 hectares across six communes with 100 member winegrowers, vinifies 19 grape varieties, and distributes its bottled production (~25,000 hl annually) through direct cellar sales, an online shop, French wholesale networks and international export to around ten countries. It also operates an oenotourism program featuring the signature L'Art en Cave® event.

Product overview

Cave de Saint-Chinian is a cooperative wine cellar founded in 1937, producing wines under AOP Saint-Chinian, IGP Pays d'Hérault, and IGP Pays d'Oc appellations. The product portfolio includes over 20 distinct wines organized across multiple collections: Caractère (premium cuvée), Les Historiques (Le Chant des Garrigues, Le Secret des Capitelles), Les Atypiques (Carignan, Syrah-Viognier, Mourvèdre, Merlot, Vermentino), Renaud de Valon prestige range, Les Incontournables (flagship wines in rosé and blanc), Raoul Mapoul, Les Secrets, 8 Secrets, L'Art en Cave (artistic label series), Un Air de Famille (Le Mystérieux, Le Malicieux), L'Astuieux, and 1937 commemorative vintage. The company operates an online boutique at vin-saintchinian.shop and offers direct sales at the Caveau in Saint-Chinian, along with experiential offerings including virtual tours, video/image galleries, and the annual L'Art en Cave artistic event.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Caractère: AOP Saint-Chinian range featuring the Caractère cuvée
• Renaud de Valon
• Les incontournables
• L'Art en Cave
• 1937

Products and services

• Caractère (AOP Saint-Chinian) AOP SAINT-CHINIAN red wine from the estate's Caractère cuvée line, sold to consumers and distributors.
• Renaud de Valon (AOP Saint-Chinian) AOP SAINT-CHINIAN red wine from the prestige Renaud de Valon range.
• L'Esprit Renaud de Valon (AOP Saint-Chinian) AOP SAINT-CHINIAN red wine from the prestige L'Esprit Renaud de Valon range.
• L'Incontournable (AOP Saint-Chinian) Flagship AOP SAINT-CHINIAN wine available in rosé and blanc variants.
• 1937 (AOP Saint-Chinian rosé) AOP SAINT-CHINIAN rosé commemorative wine celebrating the cooperative's founding year 1937.
• 8 Secrets (AOP Saint-Chinian) AOP SAINT-CHINIAN red wine from the 8 Secrets collection.
• Les Secrets collection Collection of wines from the estate's Les Secrets range.
• Raoul Mapoul Wine available in both AOP and Vin de France categories.
• Le Chant des Garrigues (Les Historiques) Historic wine from the Les Historiques collection of the estate.
• Le Secret des Capitelles (Les Historiques) Historic wine from the Les Historiques collection of the estate.
• Le Carignan (Vin de France) Vin de France red wine made from the Carignan grape variety.
• Les Syrah-Viognier (Vin de France) Vin de France red wine produced from Syrah and Viognier grape varieties.
• Le Mourvèdre (single varietal) Single-varietal Mourvèdre wine from the Les Atypiques collection.
• Le Merlot (single varietal) Single-varietal Merlot wine from the Les Atypiques collection.
• Le Vermentino (single varietal) Single-varietal Vermentino white wine from the Les Atypiques collection.
• Le Mystérieux (Un Air de Famille) Wine available in rosé, rouge and blanc varieties, part of the Un Air de Famille collection.
• Le Malicieux (Un Air de Famille - PAYS D'HÉRAULT) Pays d'Hérault IGP wine available in rosé, rouge and blanc varieties, part of the Un Air de Famille collection.
• L'Astucieux (Pays d'Oc) Pays d'Oc IGP wine from the estate.
• L'Art en Cave limited-edition wines Annual artistic event and limited-edition wines where contemporary artists create frescoes on concrete vats, with selected cuvées featuring the artwork on their labels.
• Oenotourism experiences and event hosting Tastings, cellar visits, virtual tours, L'Art en Cave events, exhibitions, and venue hire for corporate events and seminars at the Saint-Chinian caveau.

Quantifiable outcome

• 600 hectares de vignobles cultivés en agriculture raisonnée
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Denis CarrièreminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2023Artiste exposant lors de l'exposition de décembre 2023 à février 2024
• Kina KaraminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 July 2023Collaboration pour soirée cocktail Made in Saint-Chinian avec le groupe « Eko Eko » et bar à vin Kina Kara, foodtrucks. Événement combinant musique et découverte des vins
• Michel GrangercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2023Artiste ayant réalisé des performances lors de la 9ème édition de L'Art en Cave en 2022. Le concept L'Art en Cave implique des artistes qui créent des œuvres sur les cuves de la cave
• CharlElie CouturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2023Artiste invité pour la 10ème édition de L'Art en Cave en juillet 2023. Partenaire artistique récurrent pour le concept d'art en cave
• Yz (artiste)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2023Artiste ayant réalisé une fresque lors de la 5ème édition de L'Art en Cave. L'œuvre a été reproduite sur l'étiquette d'une cuvée limitée
• Nasty (artiste)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2023Artiste invité aux côtés de CharlElie Couture pour la 10ème édition de L'Art en Cave
• Catherine SerresminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2023Artiste exposante lors de l'exposition de février 2023
• Lou RaunierminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2023Artiste exposant lors de l'exposition d'avril 2023
• Organismes professionnels du vincoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartenariat avec les organismes professionnels du vin pour accompagner les vignerons dans leurs projets d'entreprise, formation et développement
• Parc du Haut-LanguedocminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration pour les itinéraires de balade nature et terroir avec le parc du Haut-Languedoc

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Les Vignerons de Buzet: Cooperative winery in Buzet-sur-Baïse (southwest France) with similar member-based structure, AOP focus, and integrated Œnotourisme and direct-to-consumer strategy. Highly comparable operating model to Cave de Saint-Chinian.
• Plaimont: Cooperative wine group in Gascony/Gers bringing together several hundred growers across appellations like Saint-Mont and Madiran. Comparable cooperative scale, multi-appellation strategy, and focus on premium and terroir-driven wines.
• Foncalieu: Languedoc-based union of cooperatives (Caves de l'Arnal, Saint-Saturnin, etc.) producing IGP and AOP wines at significant scale. Direct regional peer with multi-channel distribution.
• Badet Clément: Languedoc-based wine producer (formerly part of Les Jamelles) with broad IGP and AOP ranges, strong export footprint. Comparable varietal and channel mix.
• Les Vignerons du Pays d'Ensérune: Languedoc cooperative based near Béziers with similar member-based structure and Languedoc AOP/IGP portfolio. Closely comparable regional cooperative peer.

Broad incumbents

• Gérard Bertrand: Largest premium biodynamic wine producer in the Languedoc, spanning multiple AOPs and IGP Pays d'Oc. Overlaps with Cave de Saint-Chinian on appellations and export markets but operates at far greater scale with stronger brand recognition.
• Domaines Paul Mas: Family-owned Languedoc producer with significant IGP Pays d'Oc and AOP volumes and broad international distribution. Comparable product mix (Languedoc varietals) and export orientation.
• Vinadeis (InVivo Wine): French cooperative wine group aggregating multiple regional caves cooperatives. Comparable cooperative DNA at much larger scale, with similar channel and export ambitions across Languedoc and beyond.
• Castel Group: One of the largest French wine groups with significant Languedoc sourcing. A broader incumbent in French wine distribution and brands, with overlap on entry-level and mid-tier French wines.

Regional players

• Les Vignerons des Côtes du Rhône: Union of cooperatives across the Rhône Valley. Comparable cooperative structure and multi-appellation strategy, but in a different French region (Rhône vs. Languedoc).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCGToAlseqp9BIEaknL45H5g
• Facebookfacebook.com/cave.saintchinian
• Instagraminstagram.com/cavesaintchinian
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cave-de-saint-chinian

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cave De Saint-Chinian