Château du Cèdre 2014(93 points)
Spicy black-currant aromas on the nose and intense juicy black fruit on the dense palate. The rich, generous layers of fruit perfectly balance the tannins that build up to a harmonious whole.
#57 at Top 100 Wine Enthusiast 2017
Le Cèdre Cahors 2014(94 points)
Bursting with juicy ripe berry fruit and with firm background tannins. Its great fruitiness is contrasted with the strength of those tannins and with its concentration.
GC Cahors 2014(95 points) (…) — Lire la suite.

After several years of observing our vineyards, we are more than ever convinced that every terroir seeks to express the character of its landscape, its soils and its climate through the wines we make. Our task and responsibility as winemakers is therefore not limited to cultivating vines, but above all to creating and maintaining a harmonious natural environment from which the cultures feed.
We have found this harmony in organic and biodynamic farming, which we have been practicing for (…) — Lire la suite.

This sulphur-free, natural wine celebrates its third birthday with the 2016 vintage and shows quite a character for its young years. Fresh berries like raspberries, strawberries and blackcurrants prevail in the nose, while a hint of lemon peel and black pepper give heaps of energy to the bouquet. It furthermore expresses the entire exuberance that characterizes the 2016 vintage in Cahors and elsewhere in France through its juicy taste and crisp tannins. Some spices and dried fruit complete (…) — Lire la suite.

Champagne J.Vignier – Les Longues Verges
A bouquet offering particular transparency and purity, with discreet green melon notes and a hint of golden fruit, immensely transparent and airy on the palate, with almost extreme minerality, slender but very long; we have rarely tasted so much terroir in a sparkling wine. Impressive!
Champagne J.Vignier – Silexus Sézannensis
In transparent, mineral and decidedly straightforward style, reticent, slender and long, offering impressive (…) — Lire la suite.

My top pick from the outstanding lineup of Santa Duc’s 2015 Châteauneufs was the 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape La Crau Ouest, of which only 200 cases were produced. This pure Grenache o ers sumptuous aromas of violets and roses to go along with cherries and licorice. It’s full-bodied, intense, deep and long, with tannins that properly support the wine’s complexities rather than overwhelming them.
Tasted by Joe Czerwinski for The Wine Advocate, Octobre 2017 — Lire la suite.

SANTA DUC
"On behalf of the whole team of Domaine Santa Duc, we would like to wish you a healthy and successful New Year. May it be full of surprising encounters, tastings and discoveries.
With this in mind, we invite you to a first rendezvous at the organic wine fair “Millésime Bio” in Montpellier from January 29^th to 31^st . You will find us in Hall 2, Stand 180."
Yves et Benjamin Gras
CHÂTEAU DU CÈDRE
“Together with Accents & Terroirs and some winemaker friends, we will soon (…) — Lire la suite.

It’s now more than a year when I took over the Santa Duc wine shop in the centre of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. To me, the presence of Santa Duc in what may be considered as the most famous village of the Côtes-du-Rhône, was inevitable. Thus, more than just a simple wine shop, it is a part of the winery.
One might imagine that it is quite difficult for a sommelier to look after the wines of just one estate. But Santa Duc has a very diverse offer. There are the single vineyard selections from (…) — Lire la suite.

Spirits fascinate me. They present the quintessence of fruit and fermentation and act as a true enhancer of terrois and the “savoir faire”. Abominable “fire water”, when prepared without care, the best among them equal the greatest wines of this world with ease.
Recently, I paid a visit to the brothers Verhaeghe in Cahors and came to enjoy their “Eau de Vie de Marc de GC”. A name that requires some explanation. GC is the name of the top wine of the estate. Made exclusively from Malbec, (…) — Lire la suite.