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Soaring Grenache from Domaine Gramenon
Soaring Grenache from Domaine Gramenon
by Tom Wolf by Tom Wolf
2021 Côtes-du-Rhône “Poignée de Raisins”
2021 Côtes-du-Rhône “Poignée de Raisins”
Michèle Aubéry-Laurent
Maxime François Laurent
Domaine Gramenon France | Southern Rhône | Côtes-du-Rhône
Few grape varieties are more earthbound than Grenache. Wines made from this star of southern France often taste stony, full of garrigue, and, well, earthy. So it is something of a miracle that Domaine Gramenon has crafted a cuvée that proudly retains that essence of Grenache yet is still so ethereal. Largely due to this kind of paradoxical magic, Michèle Aubéry-Laurent and her son Maxime are among the most respected vignerons not only of the southern Rhône, where they produce roughly twenty distinct bottlings, but in all of France.
They grow Grenache and Syrah, among several other regional varieties, but instead of making rich, robust wines—which is easy to do in these parts—their reds tend to sit at the more lively, exuberant end of the spectrum. Chalk this up to their devotion to biodynamic and organic farming as well as their more “natural” winemaking practices in the cellar. This Poignée de Raisins—“handful of grapes”—accomplishes the elusive feat of boasting both soul and a soaring joie de vivre. It doesn’t get much more perfect than that.
Michèle Aubéry-Laurent
Maxime François Laurent
| Wine Type: | red |
| Vintage: | 2021 |
| Bottle Size: | 750mL |
| Blend: | Grenache |
| Appellation: | Côtes-du-Rhône |
| Country: | France |
| Region: | Southern Rhône |
| Producer: | Domaine Gramenon |
| Winemaker: | Michèle Aubèry-Laurent & Maxime François Laurent |
| Vineyard: | 4-30 Years |
| Soil: | Clay, Limestone varied with gravel, galets roulés, and/or sand |
| Farming: | Biodynamic (certified) |
| Alcohol: | 14% |
More from this Producer or Region
2023 Côtes-du-Rhône “La Sagesse”
France | Southern Rhône
La Sagesse carries the full flavor, succulence, and savoriness we associate with Grenache on a graceful and lively frame.
2024 Côtes du Rhône Villages Rouge
France | Southern Rhône
Brambly, rustic, savory, and joyous, this is as perfect a house red from the Rhône as you’ll find.
Clairette de Die “Tradition”
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This festive sparkling wine is vinified following the ancient tradition of one of the most gorgeous corners of France, where small hills grow into small mountains on the flanks of the Alps.
2022 Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge “Contre Couleur”
France | Southern Rhône
Deep, dynamic Grenache feels aptly highlighted by bright and fresh Clairette. Soft and rich, yet still defined.
2024 Tavel “La Combe des Rieu”
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This bears a rich bouquet of wild strawberry, flowers, garrigue, and sweet spices, culminating in a long, stony finale.
2022 Côtes-du-Rhône “La Papesse”
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Elevation and abundant limestone combine to give taut, high-toned wines with delicate floral aromas and stimulating mineral freshness.
2023 Vacqueyras Rouge “Doucinello”
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February Club Rouge ~ The flavors are mostly deep and dark—stones, licorice, black olive, and blackberry—but the frame is lithe.
2023 Côtes-du-Rhône “L’Emouvante”
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Deep, concentrated, and refreshingly saline, this is like great Cornas with Mediterranean influences.
2024 Côtes-du-Rhône “Sierra du Sud”
France | Southern Rhône
A pure Syrah bottling offering wild flavors of the Provençal countryside gently wrapped in a thick coat of tooth-staining deep purple fruit.
2023 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau”
France | Southern Rhône
There’s a gentle veil of minerality, and the nose is expansive, making way for notes that are more spiced than fruity.
About The Producer
Domaine Gramenon
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Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
I want you to realize once and for all: Even the winemaker does not know what aging is going to do to a new vintage; Robert Parker does not know; I do not know. We all make educated (hopefully) guesses about what the future will bring, but guesses they are. And one of the pleasures of a wine cellar is the opportunity it provides for you to witness the evolution of your various selections. Living wines have ups and downs just as people do, periods of glory and dog days, too. If wine did not remind me of real life, I would not care about it so much.
Inspiring Thirst, page 171