2018 Domaine Duseigneur "Antarès" Lirac, Rhone Valley, France

ABOUT THIS WINE

"Antarès" comes from a selection of vines located on hillsides facing north, at the western end of the lirac appellation, at an altitude of 160m. the soils are deep sands and sandstones.

Yields are around 30hl/ha. the harvest is partially destemmed and each grape variety is vinified separately in cement tanks. no oak ageing, ambient yeasts only.

Organic grapes, grown biodynamically; unfined, unfiltered.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Domaine Duseigneur was founded by Bernard Duseigneur’s father in 1960, who moved to the southern Rhone Valley, and planted grapes for the vineyard in the Lirac AOC (which is along the right bank of the Rhone River, and across the river from Châteauneuf-du-Pape). Over the years, the family continued to purchase vineyards in Lirac and Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Now with a team comprising of Bernard, Gabriel Monier, Phillipe Faure Brac, and Philippe Cambie; Domaine Duseigneur continues to make truly exquisite wines. Though they grow all 13 permitted grape varieties in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the primary focus of their vineyards (covering 60%), is Grenache Noir, with vines that are on average 60 years old. They have vineyards that cover a range of terroir in the AOC, from the characteristic round granite rocks (Quartzite), limestone soils, and sandstone soils, which result in a unique character on the wine.

Certified organic since 1998, and biodynamic since 2002, the harvest is done by hand, with all the wines being fermented by ambient yeast. The wines are unfined, and filtration is done with a cellulose plate for white, rose and fruit-driven reds; for other wines aged in the barrel for a longer period of time, they are not filtered at all. Bernard is swift to credit his mentor, François Bouchet, who you may know as biodynamics pioneer and leading top biodynamic consultant for such vinyards as La Romanée Conti and le Château de Puligny-Montrachet. Domaine Duseigneur has Biodyvin certification and tremendous respect for the symbiosis of the plant and the soil. We are excited to bring these wines for you to enjoy.

As with all our producers, we will be donating part of the proceeds from sales to a non-profit close to our heart. For Domaine Duseigneur, we have chosen to donate to the Mustard Seed.