2022 Domaine Santa Duc ‘Les Quatre Terres’ Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge
The wines from these parcels give off lovely floral aromas with notes of red and black fruit, and that infamous Southern Rhône garrigue. The 18 months spent in oak Stockinger foudres, and terracotta amphorae pave way for a pure, elegant tannic structure with the most incredible silky mouthfeel that leaves your tastebuds begging for more.
Ecocert-certified organic and Demeter-certified biodynamic, 40-year old vines, hand-harvested, unfined and unfiltered at bottling.
- Tasting Notes Ripe wild berries, blueberry, black plum, herbal scrub, pepper, licorice, violet
- Variety 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre, 5% Carignan, 5% Cinsault
- Region France, Rhone Valley
- Volume 750 mL
- Alcohol Volume 14.5%
- Table Talk Parcels of land at Vacqueyras and Rasteau classified as Crus, but also at Roaix and Séguret classified as Côtes-du-Rhône Villages. It is this blend of four terroirs that gave this wine its name “Quatre Terres” which means 'The Four Lands.'
Rising as a pillar of quality out of Gigondas’ soils is Domaine Santa Duc – an estate with a history that stretches back to 1874. Through six generations, the domaine’s caretakers have demonstrated a respect for the land. Santa Duc ascended to prominence starting in 1985 as a pioneer of organic viticulture in the region under the care of its indomitable vigneron, Yves Gras. In the 2017 vintage, Gras’ son Benjamin assumed the helm at Domaine Santa Duc, making his mark immediately by introducing biodynamic farming techniques and constructing a new winemaking facility on the property.
In his time at the head of the estate, Yves branched out to nearby Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Rasteau, creating wines of exceptional balance and quality. He seamlessly integrated fruit from each distinct soil type into harmonious cuvées representing the Southern Rhône Valley’s unique terroir. The estate wines are Ecocert-certified organic and Demeter-certified biodynamic. Working exclusively with indigenous yeast, the wines are partially destemmed depending on vintage and parcel and aged for 18 months in 36-hectoliter oak Stockinger foudres and 8-hectoliter terracotta amphorae. This estate integrates a thoughtful simplicity to the craft of winemaking that results in beautiful purity of expression in the elegant, focused, and polished wines.
Yves’s son Benjamin took over in 2017 and received biodynamic certification in addition to building a new winemaking facility.
“Yves Gras deserves full credit for pushing Domaine Santa Duc, his family’s property, into the upper tier of Gigondas, and the Southern Rhône, starting in the mid-1980s…This winery must be counted among the handful of great producers in Gigondas.” – Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate