This deeply colored, saturated black-purple wine presents ripe and intense flavors of dark berries, cassis, licorice and spice. Arnaud Guicharde took care to retain the wine’s fruity acidity (preserved due to the cool late-summer nights) and as a result, the 2011 has superior balance and length.

Isabelle and Arnaud Guicharde bought Domaine de la Guicharde in 1988. Located near Mongragon in the village of Derboux in the Cotes du Rhone, the estate sits on a high plateau at the top of the Massif d’Uchaux. Planted primarily to Grenache and Syrah, with a tiny bit of Grenache Blanc and Gris, the Guichardes reorganized their 37 acre estate vineyard to take better advantage of the soils and exposition. The grapes are hand-picked and sorted before undergoing fermentation in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. After assemblage, the wines mature in concrete tanks before bottling. Over the years, the Guichardes have methodically moved to organic farming. The vineyards are certified organic by ECOCERT and are transitioning to Biodynamic farming practices.

Technical notes

(65% Grenache/35% Syrah). From vines that are an average of 25 years old, the grapes were destemmed and fermented together using native yeasts. During its three week maceration, the juice was pumped over its cap of skins and matured in stainless steel tanks until bottling.

Producer

In 1988, Isabelle and Arnaud Guicharde acquired this estate in the hamlet of Derboux, near Mondragon. The young couple, passionate for a career as wine producers, sought to make the finest Cotes du Rhone possible. Vines were first planted here in 1960 but the Guichardes reorganized the 15 hectare vineyard to take better advantage of the soils and exposition. The estate sits on a high plateau at the top of the Massif d’Uchaux making idelaly situated for the ripening of grapes. Sixty percent Grenache and forty percent Syrah is planted on sloping, sandy-limestone soil. About one hectare of Grenache Blanc and Gris is used for the Cotes du Rhone Blanc.