Domaine Santa Duc, Côtes du Rhône Blanc ,Le Serre du Rieu, France, 2022

Producer Profile

Yves Gras is one of the strongest personalities in the Southern Rhône; generous to a fault, he has helped many younger producers to improve their techniques and establish themselves on the market.

Since 2006, Yves has slightly softened his style by shortening the time of cuvaison and using different cooling methods to reduce the austerity that previously characterized his wines; they still have plenty of local character and a huge personality, but are also a little more approachable in their youth. Yves’ son Benjamin has taken charge of the most recent vintages. The results from the 23ha under vine are truly exceptional and have received widespread recognition in the press.

Viticulture

This plot is located at a place called Le Serre du Rieu in Roaix on the foothills of a small hill (a Serre in Provençal) at the foot of which flows a stream called the 'Rieu'. The soils are Piedmont sand from the erosion of Miocene safre.

Winemaking

The grapes are hand-picked into crates and sorted manually in the vineyard before a second, table sorting in the cellar. Pressing in a pneumatic press in whole bunches. Light static overnight settling by cold. Racking to the cellar in the basement. Fermentation in stoneware jar and demi-muid without temperature control with daily stirring. Aged for 10 months on total lees in a stoneware jar, and in a old Stockinger oak demi-muid. Bottling without fining or filtration.

Tasting Note

The wines that are born in this locality express themselves with elegance and finesse, the signature white flower scents of sandy-soil-growing Clairette as well as fennel, apple, lime blossom, apricot and peach.

Food Matching

Chicken and leek pie, fish, pumpkin risotto and prawns.