Domaine Font de Courtedune Côtes du Rhône Vieilles Vignes 2021
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The Land
Font de Courtedune farms in Courthezon, in the Vaucluse, with vineyards that sit right up against the boundary of Chateau Rayas, the most mythic estate in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. That neighboring proximity matters: the domaine's soils run to roughly 80% sand, the same rare, free-draining ground that gives Rayas its signature lightness, mixed here with rolled stones. The estate holds parcels across Cotes du Rhone, Cotes du Rhone Villages, IGP Vaucluse, and Chateauneuf-du-Pape itself, 35 hectares total, all farmed under the same sandy-soil logic that shapes wines built on finesse rather than weight.
The Wine
A blend of old-vine Grenache, Cinsault, and Syrah, vinified whole-bunch in a style that draws an explicit comparison to Rayas itself. The 2021 growing season was a difficult one across the southern Rhone: a mild start gave way to April frost that cut yields, then a wet, humid summer forced constant disease pressure through July and August before more rain hit right before harvest. The result is a lighter-alcohol, higher-acid style than recent vintages, with silky tannins and a fresher, more pointed fruit character than the ripe, sun-baked reds this region is known for. Expect black cherry, ripe strawberry, and garrigue on the nose, with a round, enveloping attack and fine, structured tannins carrying through a long finish.
The People
The Charrier family has farmed at Font de Courtedune for three generations, but until 1998 the grapes went to the local cooperative rather than into their own bottles. Siblings Caroline and Frederic Charrier changed that, building a cellar and starting estate production themselves, then taking over full management after their father's death in 2010. Caroline trained at the wine school in Beaune and runs the winemaking; Frederic manages the vineyards. Their location next to Chateau Rayas is not a marketing line, it is the reason their Grenache tastes the way it does: same sand, same restraint, a fraction of the price.
Food Pairing
This wine's whole-bunch spice and silky tannin make it a natural with grilled meats that carry their own char. Try it with herb-crusted lamb chops, merguez sausages off the grill, duck breast with a cherry reduction, or a mushroom and thyme tart for something vegetarian. The garrigue notes echo rosemary and thyme in the cooking, while the fresh acidity from this cooler vintage keeps richer cuts of meat from feeling heavy.
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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.
