Leap of faith

''Moving to Provence was the result of ten years of discussions between Stephen and I,'' Jeany says. ''I came up with a thousand reasons not to move– we didn't speak enough French, we didn't have enough money and soon – but there was never going to be the perfect moment.

''When we did eventually make the move [to Cotignac, in Provence], it seemed sudden to others, but we'd been through years of family debates about it. And despite that, it was still a hard landing. We were not super-prepared, but we got stuck into the community right away.

Own brand

Although the couple had no experience of making wine, Stephen, 61, had previously worked as a wine importer and merchant in the UK. Together, they focused on finding the best vineyards to work with, before setting up their own brand.

Mirabeau soon won fans in the UK, but the ultimate Provençal family home proved more elusive.

Jeany, who had renovated two period houses in the UK, initially applied her expertise to creating a new-build home on the outskirts of Cotignac, but a decade-long search led the couple to conclude that theywere ''overthinking'' the hunt for their dream house.

Finding their dream house

That is, until they stumbled upon Domaine Mirabeau. As they drove through 14 hectares of vineyards, past rustling cypress trees and a swimming pool, the couple knew immediately that the property was ''the one''.

''I thought we'd have to compromise on what we wanted, but the bastide required no compromise whatsoever,'' Jeany says.

Situated in the Plaine des Maures Nature Reserve, 40 minutes from St Tropez, their house gently glows in the sunlight, thanks to the mica mineral particles used in the construction of the ochre-hued home.

Although the exterior was what Jeany's dreams were made of, the interior required two and a half years of work.

''It wasn't a total wreck, but it needed work to bring out the features. We did almost everything, aside from the beautiful terracotta floors,'' she says.

''It had been a second home, laid out for ease, which made it uninspiring, but we tried to bring the Provence spirit back to life.''

Bringing nature back

The gardens needed attention, too, with Jeany transforming the once-unloved grounds into a haven for bees. ''The garden isn’t formal,'' she says. ''It's a showcase of beautiful Mediterranean plants, including cypress trees and lavender.''

She and Stephen also set to work on converting the onsite vineyards to run organically, with a focus on soil health and biodiversity. ''We wanted our wines to be regenerative [grown specifically to improve soil health] –giving back to nature, not taking away from it,'' she says.

The bastide exclusively grows Domaine Mirabeau La Réserve Rosé, the brand's single-estate reserve wine, which is matured for longer than normal. The couple work with other local growers for the rest of theirrosés, including Mirabeau Pure Provence Rosé, which is Jeany's favourite. ''When in doubt, it's the one I pull out,'' she says.

At the bastide, days begin with a visit to the llamas – named Vincent and Pablo, ''in homage to the great artists who also loved the south of France'' – before a walk through the vineyards where the grapes for La Réserve Rosé are grown.

The past year has brought yet more change, with Jeany and Stephen’s youngest child, George, 17, following in the footsteps of his siblings, Josephine, 24, and Felix, 23, by moving to London to attend boarding school.

Jeany marked the end of this era by writing a recipe book, At Home in Provence, calling the tome ''the empty nest project I'd always dreamed of''.

She adds: ''It was a longtime dream, and although child-raising in Provence was magical, the bookmarked the end of the chapter of our family finding our feet here.''

It features recipes such as coq au vin (made with rosé, of course) and a salad of roasted peach, heirloom tomato and jambon de Bayonne.

Jeany says: ''I wanted to create a slice of life here. I think there's a great service, if you can inspire someone to cook from a photo.''

Pursuing their passion

Although a move to the south of France suggests a laidback approach to life, Jeany laughs that she and Stephen have ''never worked harder''.

But she adds: ''When you're working on your passion, it doesn't feel like work. We've flourished, and through our wine, we create togetherness and joy for others –that's a lovely feeling.''

It's that uniting influence of a chilled bottle of rosé that sees Jeany come alive when we chat. 

''We love to entertain, and the Domaine is a very social place. The Provence vibe is all about sitting together, away from screens, sharing food, playing boules, and that's the spirit we hoped to capture here,'' she says.

For anyone seeking a slice of quintessential Provençal life, Domaine Mirabeau is open for visitors to rent for ten weeks of the year, with Jeany and Stephen creating a ''home away from home'' for those coming to stay.

As for her own favourite spot, she says: ''I'm inevitably always in the kitchen – that's my happy place – but I also love to seek out a shaded spot on our terrace, listening to the noises of nature.''

Sharing the joy

Jeany may have fulfilled her dream of writing a recipe book, but she has plenty more on the horizon.

''I want to find a way to open Domaine Mirabeau to the public. I'd love for people who are interested in regenerative wines to be able to tour the estate,'' she says.

''I picture a lifestyle shop, selling the honey we make here, and I'd love to create a scent collection to sell alongside the wines.

''I want to throw open the doors and host lunches and supper clubs, with people enjoying food on the terrace and taking a walk around the grounds, stopping for a picnic. It's small, so it's always going to be bijou here – small and carefully curated.

''I think that is the destiny for Domaine Mirabeau.''