Guillaume Gonnet, Côtes du Rhône Villages Rouge, Le Hardi, Southern Rhône, France, 2023

Producer Profile

The energetic and charismatic Guillaume Gonnet is not your average Rhône winemaker.

Extremely open in his attitude, his curious, boundary-challenging approach extends far beyond wine. He has travelled to the far ends of the earth, revelling in the opportunity to surf some of the best waves in the world while learning his craft in various Australian and New Zealand regions. Returning to the Rhône with his Australian wife Kelly, Guillaume has put similar energy into his family estate and his new-found enthusiasm for Grenache-based wines. Pursuing biodynamics wherever possible, allowing the fruit to express itself freely through hands-off winemaking and displaying a fascination for the varying soils of the Rhône in his diverse wines, he’s just the sort of restless creative that we love to work with.

Viticulture

Planted on a South facing plateau the soil structure is made up of round pebbles on the surface, red clay and limestone soil. Average vine age is 50 years old planted at a density of 4000 vines per HA.

Winemaking

A traditional fermentation, and ageing for 12 months in stainless steel and concrete.

Tasting Note

Often described as a “Baby Châteauneuf du Pape”, this wine is rich, complex, yet approachable. Red and dark fruits, cherries, spices and liquorice on the nose and palate.

Food Matching

Barbequed duck or lamb, lovely with French style cheeses.