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 region; he is also very generous and has helped many young wine producers to improve their techniques & establish themselves within the market.

Since 2006, he has slightly softened his style by shortening the time of cuvaison and using different cooling methods in order to reduce some of the austerity that was previously characteristic of his wines. They still have plenty of local character & huge personality, but are certainly a little more approachable now in their youth. His son Benjamin has been in charge of the latest vintages; the results from the 23 hectares of vines are truly exceptional & have received great recognition from the press. “Straightforward and wise, Yves Gras is however one of the key figures of Gigondas. When he took over the Estate in 1985, he focused on producing wine with exemplary depth. Santa Duc vineyard is perfectly tended and meticulously maintained” Antoine Pétrus, Bettane & Desseauve Guide des Vins 2016

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.