2020 Domaine Les Grands Bois "Philippine" Sainte Cécile, Côtes du Rhône Villages, Rhône Valley, France
ABOUT THIS WINE
60% Grenache, 40% Syrah. The grapes come from 12- to 60-year-old vines in the village of Sainte Cécile. The fermentation and elevage are all done in tank, preserving the minerality and fresh fruit character of the wine.
This wine in particular, is named after Marc and Mireille's eldest daughter, Philippine. Produced from Sainte Cécile les Vignes, this Côtes du Rhône Villages represents 16 hectares of the domaine. 15 days of fermentation at 18-20°C, punching and rack and return. This Côtes du Rhône Villages has its roots in the scrubland. Grenache and Syrah bloom under the Provencal sun and the beautiful Mistral winds, to result in an aromatic and ample wine.
If the grape varietal gives the wine’s general characteristics, the terroir gives it its typicity. The estate focuses on Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre. Grenache for its generosity, the fragrant structure of Mourvedre, and the coloring intensity of Syrah, all of which result in high quality red wines.
ABOUT THIS PRODUCER
Domaine les Grands Bois is an independent winegrower located in Sainte Cécile les Vignes in the southern Rhone. The estate was founded in 1920 by Albert Farjon, an agricultural worker who was passionate about vines and wines. In 1935, he registered the brand, Les Grands Bois. His two sons, André and Robert, continued family tradition and ensured the longevity of the estate. In 1994, daughter and niece of winegrowers, Mireille Besnardeau, along with her husband Marc, took over the Les Grands Bois estate.
In 1997, under the guidance of Mireille and Marc, the estate developed its bottling for export sales. They restructured the vineyards in 1998, bought land in Cairanne and Rasteau, and created a new cellar. Starting with the 2011 vintage their wines are certified organic. And, in 2015, their daughter Philippine joined the family business.
Their 46 hectares of vineyards extend from Sainte-Cécile-les-Vignes, Lagarde-Paréol, Suze la Rousse, Tulette, Cairanne, Rasteau, and Travaillan. The vines are generally planted 130 metres above sea level. The vineyards are made up of a mosaic of plots and terroirs. The soils are predominantly red clay composed of large pebbles rolled by the sea, which store heat during the day to restore it at night. The climate has Mediterranean influences with little rainfall, the Mistral winds, and an abundance of sunshine.