Domaine Santa Duc "Les Quatre Terres" 2022 Cotes du Rhone

750ml bottle

13.5% abv

The 2022 Les Quatre Terres combines the richness of the grenache grape with wild berry and herb aromas and an excellent tension for the hot, dry vintage. Impressive depth and black fruit character in the long, zesty finish. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. 75% whole-cluster fermented.

Grapes: 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre, 5% Carignan, 5% Cinsault

Farming: Certified Biodynamic, Certified Organic

Soil: Vacqueyras: sandy sloping soils; Roaix: sand and grit; Séguret: Alluvial calcarous clay terraces; Rasteau: Old broken stone terraces and red calcarous soils on a bed of gravel.

Vineyards & Viticulture: A collection of plots of vines planted on the Vacqueyras, Rasteau (Crus), Roaix and Seguret (Côtes-du-Rhône Villages) communes. It is this combination that give this cuvée the name "The Four Lands.

Harvest & Vinification: Manually harvested with a strict selection process. The whole crop ferments for 20 days after a short maceration, with partial destemming. Aged 90% in Stockinger foudres, 10% in terracotta jars (amphora). Bottling without fining or filtration.

Not to be confused with the Domaine’s entry level CdR, “Les Quatre Terre” is a blend of four parcels throughout the Southern Rhône. The blend of is also a blend of four soils. A collection of plots of vines planted on the Vacqueyras, Rasteau (Crus), Roaix and Seguret (Côtes-du-Rhône Villages) communes. It is this combination that give this cuvée the name “The Four Lands.”

The wines from these parcels have lovely dark floral aromas, restrained notes of red and black fruit, fresh plums, and garrigue. 36-hectoliter Stockinger barrels and terra cotta allow the wine to express the garrigue and pure, elegant tannic structure. 

The Domaine Santa Duc takes its name from the Grand Duc owl found in the region: a fittingly noble symbol for some hallowed plots in the Rhône Valley. Though the Gras family has been established in Gigondas for close to 150 years, Yves Gras began to scout out new parcels when he took over the domaine in 1985, as well as turning to organic farming practices. His son Benjamin, who is now in charge, has continued further in the same vein: moving into biodynamics and incorporating plots in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and elsewhere. Benjamin’s wines ferment whole-cluster with indigenous yeasts and are bottled unfiltered.