Eric Texier, Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge, Southern Rhône, France, 2021

Producer Profile

A man of conviction but by no means a zealot, Eric Texier likes to push the boundaries.

Despite having no experience or contacts in wine, Eric decided to give up his career as a nuclear engineer and study winemaking in 1992, interning with Jean-Marie Guffens at Verget in Mâcon. Lacking the network to buy his own vineyard, Eric did his time with established winemakers then made négoce wines with the fruit of like-minded purists until he was introduced to François Pouchoulin, AKA the Godfather of Brézème. Eric was fascinated by the history of this tiny enclave on the southernmost edge of the Northern Rhone, on the left bank of the Rhone. It is South facing, has limestone-rich clay soils and, at 300 meters of elevation has an increasingly steep aspect with terrain that grows rockier as the slope rises. In the mid-19th century, its wines rivalled those of Hermitage but, by 1961, just one hectare remained. Thanks to Pouchoulin’s help and guidance, Texier eventually succeeded in purchasing a tiny parcel of vines in Brézème. Many years later, Éric has now put the Brézème appellation back on the map, and is the leading grower there. After Brézème, Eric and his wife Laurence (the backbone of their business-they are very much a team and travel everywhere together) purchased another tiny plot, this time in the Ouvèze valley in the Ardèche, on the right bank of the Rhone. This site has granite soils, is at a higher altitude than Brézème and has higher growing temperatures. According to Eric, both of these classic Northern Rhone plots had almost been forgotten because of their isolated geographic position and small surface areas. Today, Eric and Laurence have 12 hectares under vine, with vines aged from 30 to 90 years old on both sides of the Rhone, all worked organically. This is not a sudden conversion or a response to trend, Eric has worked organically since the beginning. As for biodynamics, he follows some of its principles but is not dogmatic about it.

Viticulture

100% Grenache from 80+ year old vines on the classic sandy, gravel, galets roulés laden soils of Chateauneuf. Planted on the flat, north-facing parcel in the lieu-dit of Bois Sénéchaux, Eric has been working with the grower Jean Riché for more than 20 years.

Winemaking

Eric's hallmark vinification techniques of whole cluster maceration for 8-10 days, native yeast fermentation in open top concrete tanks and no sulphur are seen here too, with ageing for 18 months in demi-muids without racking. Bottled without fining or filtration.

Oak Ageing

Time: 14 Months
Type: 225 Litre
% wine oaked: 100
% new oak: None

Tasting Note

This wine is the very embodiment of the Mediterranean sun, garrigue and abundance, with stunning intensity and the ability to age in bottle for 10-15 years. Focused with harmonious notes of spice and fruit, and fine tannins offering structure.

Food Matching

Serve with game such as guinea fowl and pheasant, roast turkey and caramelised veg.