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Fabulous Value in the Southern Rhône
Fabulous Value in the Southern Rhône
by Anthony Lynch by Anthony Lynch
2023 Beaumes-de-Venise Rouge
2023 Beaumes-de-Venise Rouge


The Dentelles de Montmirail

Henri Leydier and his son Gaëtan

Domaine de Durban
Domaine de Durban France | Southern Rhône | Beaumes-de-Venise
The town of Beaumes-de-Venise, in the heart of the southern Rhône, is best known for its ravishing dessert Muscat, a local specialty famously praised by Pliny the Elder. But this is Grenache territory, and Beaumes-de-Venise also produces delicious reds from these gentle, sunbaked slopes covered with garrigue. Although the town enjoys cru status in the same way as Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas, its red wines are generally softer and more approachable in their youth, with surprising aging potential thanks to the significantly concentrated fruit and structure. Priced far below its prestigious neighbors, Beaumes-de-Venise also represents a fabulous value.
At Domaine de Durban, an ancient farm now run by the Leydier family, Grenache is joined by Syrah and a drop of Mourvèdre to create this delightful everyday red scented of herbes de Provence and ripe black cherry. Durban’s specialty is their ability year in and year out to make reds that are dense, full, rustic, and incredibly drinkable all at once. Aged in neutral oak, the 2023 vintage is deep and robust with soft and fuzzy tannins—the perfect companion to pozole, burgers, pizza, or grilled meats.


The Dentelles de Montmirail

Henri Leydier and his son Gaëtan

Domaine de Durban
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2023 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 70% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre |
Appellation: | Beaumes-de-Venise |
Country: | France |
Region: | Southern Rhône |
Producer: | Domaine de Durban |
Winemaker: | Leydier Family |
Vineyard: | 50 years old, 21 ha |
Soil: | Clay, Trias limestone |
Aging: | Grapes are fermented in stainless steel for 15 days, wine ages in barriques, bottled unfiltered |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 14.5% |
More from this Producer or Region

2022 Gigondas “Racines”
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2022 Tavel Rosé
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Stony, spicy, and dense, it evokes red berries, watermelon, and garrigue and offers a beautiful accompaniment to a wide range of dishes.

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2022 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.

2020 Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise HALF BOTTLE
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Leydiers at Domaine de Durban are particularly proud of their Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise, a vin doux naturel, as they are among the last to craft it in the traditional style.

2023 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc “La Crau”
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Clairette, an unsung hero of the south, is the main grape here, undoubtedly one of many key elements to this singular wine.

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Deep, concentrated, and refreshingly saline, this is like great Cornas with Mediterranean influences.

2019 Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise
France | Southern Rhône
This lovely Muscat is full of fresh honeysuckle and ripe citrus fruit. Have an ice cream maker? This wine makes the best sorbet you’ll ever taste!

Clairette de Die “Tradition”
France | Southern Rhône
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 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “Télégramme”
France | Southern Rhône
If Télégramme is more about fruit than stones, it is still undeniably Châteauneuf, expressing the nobility of carefully farmed Grenache from the Rhône’s finest terroirs.

About The Producer
Domaine de Durban
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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