Domaine d'Ourea, Vacqueyras, 2020

CNDP is one of the most famous appellations in France. BUT, have you heard of Vacqueyras?? It's a neighbouring region with higher altitude, possibly one of the Rhone's best kept secrets. In 2009, Adrien Roustan headed home to take over his grandfather’s vineyards and started Domaine d’Ourea. He named the estate after the Greek gods of the mountains; a perfect tribute to his high-altitude plots tucked away in the stunning Dentelles de Montmirail. In 2009, Adrien Roustan, who had honed his skills at the legendary Domaine de la Romanée-Conti in Burgundy and Turley Wine Cellars in California, returned to the Southern Rhône. He took over his grandfather Raymond Bertrand’s estate with a clear mission: to reveal the true "limpid" expression of Vacqueyras. His first act in his first year was a total conversion to organic farming. He understood that the chemicals used in the previous decades had destroyed the true voice of the soil. By 2012, his efforts were rewarded with official Agriculture Biologique (AB) certification. Having reached biological equilibrium after 10 years of organic practice, Roustan moved the entire estate to biodynamic farming in 2020. This vintage represents the "first breath" of this holistic farming approach. For Adrien, it’s all about working with nature: hand-harvesting every grape and letting native yeasts do their thing. The grape blend is 85% Grenache sourced from vines planted in 1950. These 70-year-old vines provide concentrated fruity taste to the wine. 5% Mourvèdre, 5% Cinsault, and 5% Carignan; this variety add structural complexity with wild herb notes, and a touch of spice. Unlike many of his neighbors, Adrien loves "whole-cluster" fermentation (stems and all!). This gives the wine a signature stem freshness and a spicy, aromatic kick that makes it incredibly fruity. Because he uses fruit from old-vine Grenache (some over 70 years old!), this wine has some serious cellar potential. It’s elegant enough to enjoy tonight, but it has the structure to age beautifully in your cellar for years to come. Crack a bottle open with 🌿Rack of lamb with plenty of fresh rosemary, 🦆 Duck confit 🍄 Creamy mushroom risotto