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Guillaume Gonnet, France

The energetic and charismatic Guillaume Gonnet is not your average Rhône winemaker. Extremely open in his attitude, his curious, boundary challenging approach extends beyond wine.

He 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, now with his Australian wife Kelly, Guillaume has shown similar energy for his family estate and for his own nascent project. This land locked surfer may be miles from the ocean but is happily riding the wave of new found enthusiasm for Grenache based wines. Pursuing biodynamics wherever possible, allowing his fruit to express itself freely through hands-off winemaking and displaying his fascination for the varying soils of the Rhône through his diverse range of wines, he's just the sort of restless creative that we love to work with.

Viticulture

Minimal interference with the “terroir effect” by following biodynamic agricultural principles, ensuring the wine is the right blend of Southern Rhone varieties - Grenache, Syrah and Mouvèdre.

Winemaking

The idea is to attain complexity, balance and soft, elegant tannins and following an approach to ageing using very little wood influence.

Highlights
  • Biodynamic agricultural principles.
  • Elegant wines with minimal oak influence.
  • The wines display the regional typicity; the characteristics and qualities of wines produced from these exceptional regions, with a softness, elegance and finesse that are their signature style.