Tasting Note

Deep and brilliant red colour, aromas of violet, pepper and leather and then a lovely rich and fleshy with silky tannins. 3000 bottles produced. 91pts Decanter Magazine

Producer

This is a beautiful property located in glorious garrigue-scented countryside at the top (northern) end of the southern Rhone. It lies just outside Suze La Rousse. The castle’s origins were as a hunting lodge, covering 115 hectares. Vines were first planted in the early 20C, and today 75 hectares are planted to vines. Roughly a half of the property produces Côtes du Rhône, and half produces Côtes du Rhône Villages. In recent years Suze La Rousse has joined the group of Côtes du Rhône Villages.
The property was bought in 2018 by Raphael Knapp and his family. Prior to this, Raphael had a career as wine importer in California, so he knows the work of the importer as well as the producer.The estate is in a phase of complete restructuring. The castle is in need of love and attention, (and money!) but the vineyards have taken priority, and the estate is in the process of organic conversion. Soil is a mix of iron-rich sand and clay, some of it deeply coloured red with with more limestone in the Village and Suze la Rousse wines.

_{Country: France | Region: Rhone | Alcohol: 13.5% | Grapes: Grenache, Syrah}