Wine

Despite being a relative newcomer, Domaine Giraud makes some of the most charming and elegant wines in the Rhône valley’s Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Brother and sister team, Marie and François, have taken the domaine forward huge strides since they took over from their parents in 1998. It was their parents, Pierre and Mireille, who started bottling their own wines in 1974 and the estate grew from humble rented vines to over 19 hectares of organically farmed vines spread across Châteauneuf, including a parcel of 100-year-old Grenache vines in the excellent La Crau vineyard. They have also farmed vines in neighbouring Lirac, the...

Château la Nerthe is a stunning, 500-year-old property that has become a ‘one to watch’ over the past few years. Working organically since 1998, its range of 57 parcels on various soil types and expositions produces a seamless and complete expression of Châteauneuf-du-Pape – marked by a wonderful complexity. The noticeable care taken in both the vineyard and cellar has, over the past few years, resulted in seriously impressive wines. This property is, in every way, a worthy rival to the likes of Château de Beaucastel.Winemaker Rémi Jean is as inspiring as the terroir itself – his understanding of the...

A seventh-generation vigneron, Matthieu Barret studied viticulture in Beaune and joined his grandfather in Cornas in 1997. After inheriting a parcel of vines from his grandfather, who used to sell grapes to the local co-operative, Matthieu built up his own domaine in Cornas. He immediately started working the vines organically and produced his first vintage in 2000.Domaine du Coulet now has 11.1 hectares. The vines are planted on steep south/south-east-facing terraces which are carved into the granite rock of Cornas. The vine roots are forced to penetrate deep into the granite rock, leading to small yields and concentrated, powerful wines....

Situated in the northern Rhône valley, in the heart of the historical Saint-Joseph appellation, the domain’s first harvests were in 2014. Following several years spent working in France and abroad, Bastien Jolivet decided to return to the family business and join forces with his father. They stopped selling on their grapes and began to produce their own wine. The domain currently has 11ha of vines in Saint-Joseph red and white.The vines are planted on south/southeast-facing hillsides with stone walls to keep the earth in place. The Syrah varietal thrives in these granite soils and the vineyards are cultivated almost entirely...