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The wines > Côtes du Rhône

• CAVE CÉCILIA, SAINTE-CÉCILE-LES-VIGNES
  

  LVT 2006 r

• CAVE LA ROMAINE
  

  LVT 2010 r Decent quality Co-operative, genuine wines

• CELLIER DES CHARTREUX
  

  LVT 2009 r Co-operative on the west bank between Avignon and Nimes. Apart from the Côtes du Rhône range, do a Laudun Villages and a Lirac.

• CHÂTEAU DE FONSALETTE
  

  LVT 2010 r 2010 wh A quite extraordinary estate owned by the Reynaud family of Château Rayas. Natural, wonderfully long-lived, complex wines, red and white.

• CHÂTEAU DE MONTFAUCON
  

  LVT 2010 r 2010 wh rosé Flourishing, very drinkable wines. The lesser wines have caught up the main Baron Louis, and are good value, also w.o.w. The Baron Louis is a wine that takes its time, is classically structured.

• CHÂTEAU DES COCCINELLES
  

  LVT 2009 r Organic domaine,also make Signargues Villages.

• CHÂTEAU DU BOIS DE LA GARDE
  

  LVT 2010 r 2011 rosé Owned by the Ch des Fines Roches family at Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and improved quality under the current generation. Good, consistent reds.

• CHÂTEAU LA BORIE
  

  LVT 2009 r Jérome Margnat took over this old domaine in 2000. I remember it as a progressive estate in its infancy, under Jérome`s uncle Emile Bories, in the early 1970s, then it wandered off the radar. It is near Suze-la-Rousse, where there is plenty of woodland. Its production is all bottled – average of 1,500 hl of Côtes du Rhône and the same of Villages each year. Agreeably fruited wines that deliver pleasure.

• CLOS DES CÎMES
  

  LVT 2007 r Young couple, both oenologues, with Elodie Aubert`s family Co-operateurs. First wine 2007

• CLOS DES GRILLONS
  

  LVT 2010 r wh Exotic domaine, very motivated Questor at the helm. Lots of different small run wines, with character. Low suplhur use in the current fashion.

• DAUVERGNE ET RANVIER
  

  LVT 2006 Also known as R&D Vins, located next to the Château Saint Maurice at Laudun in the Gard. A reputable merchant business.

• DOMAINE BARBANOT
  

  LVT 2010 r First bottling in 1999. Working with Rune Elkjaer, a Danish importer based in Villeneuve-les-Avignon, and quality due to rise

• DOMAINE BONETTO FABROL
  

  LVT 2007 r

• DOMAINE COULANGE
  

  LVT 2010 r wh Young grower whose father was part of the Cave Co-operative of Bourg Saint-Andéol. The first wine was made in 1996. Reasoned working of the vineyard. 30% is bottled. Sound quality, some local feel, and quiet winemaking encourages w.o.w. attributes. All the 2008s were sold in bulk.

• DOMAINE DE GIGOGNAN
  

  LVT 2007 r Young woman who has made local headlines from promoting the cause of young winegrowers - President of the Young Agriculteurs of the Vaucluse in 2008. Newcomer to wine.

• DOMAINE DE GIVAUDAN
  

  LVT 2006 r Unusual position west of Laudun in the Tave Valley, with altitude to help freshness in the wines. Extraction appears present in the Côtes du Rhône Léa red, but worth keeping an eye on this 21-hectare domaine that was started by M Givaudan, an ex Co-operateur at Cavillargues, in 2000. Oldest Grenache (1920s) planted by his grandfather. trt

• DOMAINE DE LA BERTHÈTE
  

  LVT 2007 r Easy drinking wines, drink young for the most part

• DOMAINE DE LA CHARITÉ
  

  LVT 2009 r Efficient, easy-fruited wines. The Costes are also connected with Château Capucine at Châteauneuf-du-Pape

• DOMAINE DE LA CROIX BLANCHE
  

  LVT 2006 r

• DOMAINE DE LA GRAVEIRETTE
  

  LVT 2007 r Started in 2005, ex viticulteur, now making his own wine

• DOMAINE DE LA ROUETTE
  

  LVT 2009 r 2010 wh rosé Set to improve with son returning from 10 years as cellarmaster at Tavel`s Domaine de la Mordorée. Excess raising has been an issue. Bottlings done upon demand, so several per annum. Have been bottling since 1970s.

• DOMAINE DE L`AURE
  

  LVT 2010 r Fleshy wines from the Gard area west of the River opposite Avignon

• DOMAINE DE L`OLIVIER
  

  LVT 2009 r 2010 wh rosé Good M-G-S Villages, also Syrah Villages

• DOMAINE DE SERVANS
  

  LVT 2007 r Philippe Granier is fourth generation at this domaine.

• DOMAINE DENIS TARDIEU
  

  LVT 2006 r Organic. Also produces Olive oil from Nyons from the Tanche variety, planted after the 1956 frosts by his grandfather

• DOMAINE DES GRAVENNES
  

  LVT 2007 r wh Supple wines

• DOMAINE DES ROMARINS
  

  LVT 2008 r Long been a good, secure source for robust Gardois Côtes du Rhône

• DOMAINE DU BOIS DE SAINT JEAN
  

  LVT 2007 r

• DOMAINE DU BOIS DES MÈGES
  

  LVT 2010 r Also make a Plan de Dieu, and small amounts of Gigondas. Extraction an issue. Traditional style. Ghislain Guige started career as caviste at Château Mont-Redon.

• DOMAINE DU GRAND CLOS
  

  LVT 2010 r Easy fruited wine from the Ardèche, cheap, too.

• DOMAINE FOND CROZE
  

  LVT 2009 r Modern, oaked wines from a keen owner, also Rasteau

• DOMAINE GRAMENON
  

  LVT 2011 r 2011 wh A longstanding organic domaine, a real pace setter for refined quality in the 1980s. Now biodynamic. Great fruit purity when the wines are in good condition. Very little sulphur use. Good amount of w.o.w. wines.

• DOMAINE GRIS DES BAURIES
  

  LVT 2007 r Recent collaboration between four people; Patrick Bernard, formerly a stone mason, is the son of a vigneron.

• DOMAINE LA MANARINE
  

  LVT 2009 r 2010 wh rosé Gilles Gasq works with Paul Jeune at Domaine de Monpertuis. He created his domaine in April 2001. He now works 16 hectares at Travaillan. Very enthusiastic indeed. Will do well. Good, authentic Côtes du Rhône.

• DOMAINE LA REMEJEANNE
  

  LVT 2010 r wh rosé Absolutely benchmark Côtes du Rhône domaine in the Gard département (right bank). Rémy`s father Francois arrived from Morocco in 1961, and the tradition of good wine here is a long one. Very good whites, too.

• DOMAINE LE PLAN VERMEERSCH
  

  LVT 2010 r Dirk Vermeersch is an ex racing driver, and it shows! The titles of the wines are petrol head related, and at times the feeling is that the extraction is, too. These are deliberately big wines, with the cellar and the marketing prominent. Allow time for oak to settle. Interesting Carignan vin de pays, GT-C.

• DOMAINE LES ASSEYRAS
  

  LVT 2006 r Long-time bottler of good, authentic, punchy Côtes du Rhône at Tulette, in the southern Drôme near Visan

• DOMAINE MAZURD
  

  LVT 2010 r Traditional, hearty style wines. A domiane that has enlarged to 118 hectares, and includes 5.5 hectares of Rasteau recently added.

• DOMAINE NICOLAS CROZE
  

  LVT 2009 r 2010 wh The reds are agreeable, show the relaxed style of the southern Ardèche. Expect charm, tender qualities.

• DOMAINE NOTRE DAME DE COUSIGNAC
  

  LVT 2010 r 2010 wh Also do bed and breakfast, chambres d`hôte. Converting to organic. Promising, both red and white wines. Raphaël Pommier is the 7th generation on the land. Ogier took over the estate in 2004.

• DOMAINE ROUGE-BLEU
  

  LVT 2009 r 2008 rosé Jean-Marc Espinasse used to work in wine sales for 15 years. His uncle is Monsieur Jean-Claude Vidal of the very traditional Domaine du Banneret at Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The first vintage was 2007, and the approach is organic. His wife Kristin is American, and is a writer. The wines are made in a relaxed manner - the portents are good. There are many sales already to the USA.

• DOMAINE SAINT ETIENNE
  

  LVT 2008 r Sound leading red Les Albizzias, local quality

• DOMAINE SAINT-PIERRE D`ESCARVAILLAC
  

  LVT 2007 r Near Avignon, a domaine in tis family since 1889. Correct fruit in the classic Côtes du Rhône

• LA COMPAGNIE RHODANIENNE
  

  LVT 2010 r West bank merchant, signs of progress.

• LAVAU
  

  LVT 2010 r Merchant who also supplies space for small growers to vinify at their premises between Violès and Cairanne. Quality possibly on the up - Gigondas, for instance.

• LE MAS DE CASALAS
  

  LVT 2009 r 2010 wh One of the welcome new breed of newcomer growers seeking pure fruit, and natural winemaking. The first wine was 2006. Jérôme doubles as a Physical Education teacher at a Lycée in Orange. His father was a Norman, producer of Calvados and apple juice. Officially organic from the 2011 vintage, and is a biodynamic domaine. Fresh, lucid wines are a million miles from the jammy, pumped up productions so often found these days. These pure wines have some rigour in them.

• LE MAS DE LIBIAN
  

  LVT 2010 r 2010 wh Organic right bank domaine, high profile due to the stylish Hélenet being red-hot on marketing, and the wines offering full flavours, They have eased off the extraction recently, a good move. Low yields, all bottled.

• MAISON ROUGE
  

  LVT 2007 r Recent merchant business, with wines from Gigondas, Vacqueyras and Châteauneuf-du-Pape as well. Oak cask raising in the Aveyron, central France, near the cheese area of Roquefort.

• MATTHIEU DUMARCHER
  

  LVT 2010 r 2009 wh 2007 rosé Matthieu was 30 in 2007. He made his first wine in 2006. He works organically. He uses limited SO2.

• MAXIME-FRANÇOIS LAURENT
  

  LVT 2011 r First vintage 2006. Maxime-Francois is the son of the owner of Domaine Gramenon, a leading light in organic Côtes du Rhône.

• ORSAN VIGNERONS
  

  LVT 2010 r A rather marginal Co-operative for years, some efforts being made to upgrade quality. In the Gard département across the river west of Avignon.

• PATRICK LESEC
  

  LVT 2007 r Patrick Lesec is a merchant living west of Avignon. He selects and raises wines, and thse are sold under the title Patrick Lesec Selections in the southern Rhône. The Côtes du Rhône and Villages category wines are good. In the northern Rhône, he works with Coursodon at Saint-Joseph and Domaine des Remizières at Crozes-Hermitage. He favours plenty of oak use and low sulphur vinifications. There are no sales direct to the public, and he is a big name in the USA.

• RAVOIRE ET FILS, OLIVIER RAVOIRE
  

  LVT 2010 r Négociant business started late 1987, lot of sales to cavistes in Paris. Olivier Ravoire is the Rhône wine name. Half of all their wine is Provence rosé. Stout style in the main reds such as Gigondas.

• VIGNOBLES DAVID
  

  Ex Co-operateur from Saint-Hilaire d’Ozilhan. Alain came to the Rhône in the early 1980s and bought the domaine, then with 32 hectares, in 1992. His son Frédéric joined the domaine in 2000, having had his own Public Relations company in Paris. Alain sorted out the vineyard, and said to his son, “you do the rest.” Also have 3 hectares of olives. 40% is bottled (2007). The wines are cleanly-fruited.