Wills Wine Côtes du Rhône “Avant Midi” 2024
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The Land
Séguret is one of the Rhône villages that sits high enough to matter. It clings to the western flank of the Dentelles de Montmirail northeast of Orange, at meaningfully higher elevation than the flat Côtes du Rhône vineyards on the valley floor, and the soils shift between clay-limestone and galets roulés, the smooth river stones more famously associated with Châteauneuf. That mix is the reason this wine has both weight and lift: limestone clay retains water and slows ripening, galets hold heat and drive it. The fruit comes from a single organic grower in the village, from Grenache and Mourvèdre planted 60 years ago alongside younger Syrah. Village-level Rhône from old vines on high ground is where the appellation's real value sits.
The Wine
Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre from vines ranging 15 to 60 years old, fermented 100% whole bunch in concrete with Mourvèdre juice added to the ferment, then aged 12 months in demi-muid. Bottled unfiltered at 14%. The whole-bunch fermentation and the concrete are what keep the wine energetic rather than heavy despite fully ripe southern fruit, and the Mourvèdre addition sharpens it further, contributing lightness and crunch where Grenache alone would go plush. Black cherry, raspberry, garrigue, black pepper, dried lavender, and a savory, faintly meaty edge from the Mourvèdre, with fine tannin and a long, dry, herb-inflected finish.
The People
Will Arnold is an Englishman making wine across an unusually wide sweep of southeastern France, from the southern Beaujolais to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, working the same parcels year after year rather than chasing fruit around. Everything is whole-bunch and spontaneously fermented, aged in old wood or concrete, and bottled without filtration. Avant Midi was his first cuvée, made in 2020 as a tribute to his late grandfather, who in Arnold's words heroically opened a bottle of Côtes du Rhône most mornings before midday. The name is the joke and the wine is not: it is the most serious entry point into the range.
Food Pairing
Built for the table rather than the cellar. Grilled lamb chops with rosemary, a sausage and white bean cassoulet, ratatouille with crusty bread and goat cheese, or a plate of hard salami and olives. The fine tannin and dry finish handle fat and salt without fighting them, and the garrigue and pepper notes meet thyme, rosemary, and grilled vegetables directly. Serve it slightly cool, around 60 degrees, and open it about half an hour before you eat.
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Weather shipping advisory: Orders placed during times of extreme heat or extreme cold will be held for no charge until more favorable weather returns.
The Rhône Valley is a diverse and historic wine region, divided into two distinct areas. The Northern Rhône is the birthplace of Syrah, with steep, terraced vineyards that produce some of the world's most revered wines, such as those from Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie. The Southern Rhône is much more expansive, offering a wider range of styles, but typically based around Grenache-based blends, with wines from Châteauneuf-du-Pape known for their complexity and power. While the region is celebrated for its reds, it also produces incredible textured whites, and as a whole the region displays the spectrum of French wine and the incredible differences that can come from small geographic changes.
Rhone Valley
Grenache is a widely planted grape variety that thrives in its Mediterranean home. In Spain, it's known as Garnacha, where it reaches its peak in the Sierra de Gredos as a pure varietal wine, while also being a key blending component in Rioja. France's Southern Rhône, notably Châteauneuf-du-Pape, is another well-known region, where Grenache is often the base of a blended wine. Grenache also finds a home in Sardinia as Cannonau, and it has spread beyond its Mediterranean origins, most famously to Australia's Barossa Valley. The resulting wines are typically light in color, yet they possess a full body and flavor, displaying mature red fruit notes, herbal spices, and often a hint of orange peel, along with soft tannins and moderate acidity. It is an incredibly versatile grape, showing different expressions based on its terroir and the winemaking style employed.
