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Gramenon

Gramenon

I  got giddy with excitement when I was notified the new vintages of Gramenon had dropped. Admittedly, this producer fell off my radar the past few years, and that is really stupid of me.   I love these wines. The first time I tasted a Gramenon, probably 15 years ago now, it was burned into my brain and I'll never forget it.  It was the "Sierra del Sud". Purple, dense, aromatic as all hell, taught and bound with energy, rocky and mineral, explosive fruit--such as cool wine.

We last offered these in 2021, and I can not believe I am saying this, but the wines are actually less expensive now thanks to their importer, Kermit Lynch, selling them direct now.  When is the last time a wine has gone down in price!!  I like this trend, lets keep it going!!

For lovers of Rhone wines, both North and South, Gramenon should be on your short list of producers to drink and cellar.  Simply made of Grenache or Syrah, but nothing is simple about them.  They are dripping with terroir, from rugged mediterranean landscapes, from ancient soils rich in rocky minerals, planted to vines ranging from 20 to upwards of 120 years old on their top wine, the "Ceps Centenaires".  These are labeled Cotes du Rhone on the label, but don't be fooled, these are far from that style that has become your $15 pizza night wine, these are about as serious as their neighbors in Chateauneuf or farther to the north in Cornas.

When one thinks of the Southern Rhône Valley, freshness and easy drinkability aren't always the first qualities that jump to mind. But there's no better way to describe the wines from Domaine Gramenon in Côtes du Rhône. When we're craving something Grenache-based from the Côtes du Rhône, Gramenon is the first thing we reach for. On the contrary, Gramenon's Syrah-based wines rival those of the the Northern Rhone.  In fact, our first introduction to this estate was the "Sierra du Sud", a dark, feral, mineral driven, inky Syrah that could be mistaken for Cornas tasted blind. No other producer in the Southern Rhône so deftly performs the balancing act between serious ageworthiness and gone-before-you-know-it deliciousness. Today we're proud to offer a selection of their wines for your drinking pleasure. 

Michèle Aubèry-Laurent, owner and winemaker at Domaine Gramenon, stands apart from the Rhône pack. She's deeply committed to biodynamic viticulture, even raising her own animals and vegetables for her family to eat. She grows classic Rhône varieties – Grenache, Syrah, Viognier, etc – and in the cellar treats her fruit with the utmost respect. There's a high proportion of whole cluster fermentations, movement only with gravity (no pumps), aging exclusively in concrete and neutral barrels, and minimal sulfur additions. These factors combine to make the Gramenon wines totally unique. What makes them so special is the way they balance sun-baked southern Rhône richness with a briskness and refreshment found nowhere else.

Michèle and her husband Philippe made their first vintage in 1990. Their vision for the estate was a grand one: a place where organic farming and biodynamic principles extended beyond wine, incorporating growing their own produce and raising animals. The estate is located in the northern sector of the Southern Rhône Valley, with the majority of vineyards in the Côtes du Rhône appellation, and a small portion within Vinsobres. Sadly, just before the 1999 harvest, Philippe died in a tragic accident. Michèle suddenly needed to take on the role of winemaker. Now with the help of her star-in-the-making eldest son, Maxime, she has kept the domain on it's fierce upward trajectory.  Through her determination and commitment to the estate's ideals, she's raised the profile of Gramenon to its current position as one of the most renowned in the Southern Rhône Valley.

Gramenon is making some of the most serious, age-worthy wines in the Southern Rhone.  These are wines of pedigree, that stand with the top producers in the Southern and Northern Rhone appellation.  For lovers of next-level whites, their Cotes de Rhone Blanc is one of the most compelling white wine coming from the Rhone Valley.

Gramenon is very limited.  Wines arrive this week.  Shipping and store pickup available.

Save an extra 10% off 6 and 15% off any 12 bottles!

Domaine Gramenon Côtes du Rhône Rouge "Poignée de Raisin" 2024 750ml & 1.5L MAGNUM
Sale Price: $32.99/bt & $69.99/Magnum!
90% Grenache, 10% Cinsault, this 'fistful of grapes' is one of the original Southern Rhône glou glou, best served with a slight chill and enjoyed young and fresh. Produced naturally and released early, this atypical Côtes-du-Rhône is designed specifically to quench thirst while showcasing the scrumptious flavor of fermented biodynamic grapes. The domaine’s organic approach to viticulture and nonintervention in the cellar may strike some as rebellious, yet the Gramenons humbly point out that “thirty years ago, we called that ‘working normally’!” In a landscape dominated by mass-market, technological Côtes-du-Rhône, however, these wines are anything but normal. Hand-harvesting, native yeast fermentations, élevage without any new oak, and negligible doses of sulfur are just a few of the factors that make Gramenon’s wines alive, expressive, and difficult to stop drinking. Serve this one cool, from a carafe, with a plain old burger—generously seasoned with herbes de Provence.

2) Domaine Gramenon Côtes du Rhone Blanc "Vie On y est" 2024 750ml
Sale Price: $42.99/btl!!
The "Vie On y Est" is 40% Viognier, 40% Clairette, 20% Bourboulenc raised in neutral barrel. It has a complex bouquet of citrus oil, flowers and mint to go with medium-bodied richness, ample texture and bright acidity, much the same as fine Condrieu. Very pure and finer than usual in the mouth it has lovely supple texture and bright acidity. This is a complex, vibrant, elegant and bright Vie on Y Est and I can't recall a better one. .

3) Domaine Gramenon Côtes du Rhone “L'Emouvante" 2024 750ml
Sale Price: $55.99/btl!!
100% Syrah from 40 year old vines planted on schist and limestone. Fermented 2-3 weeks whole cluster.  Aged in demi-muids. Domaine Gramenon's prowess with Grenache has been proven over many vintages, with top wines such as their cuvée La Sagesse demonstrating the purity and sensual texture the variety can deliver from old vines in top terroirs. L'Emouvante is a new addition to their lineup, a pure Syrah made from the same parcels that produce La Sagesse. The combination of limestone, sand, and clay soils, along with 100% whole-cluster vinification and aging in neutral barrels, gives a Syrah of rare breed, especially this far south. Deep, concentrated, and refreshingly saline, this is like great Cornas with Mediterranean influences. 

4) Domaine Gramenon Côtes du Rhone "La Papesse" 2024 750ml
Sale Price: $59.99/btl!!
100% Grenache from vines planted in 1955, only a small portion destemmed. Aged in barriques. La Papesse is Gramenon's top cru, crafted from sixty-year-old vines high on a rocky plateau in the commune of Vinsobres, where elevation and abundant limestone combine to give taut, high-toned wines with delicate floral aromas and stimulating mineral freshness. The domaine advises decanting young vintages, and in good years like 2024 this seductive red can be cellared for upwards of a decade. 

5) Domaine Gramenon Côtes du Rhone "La Sagesse" 2024 750ml & Magnum
Sale Price: $46.99/btl & $15.99/Magnum!
100% Grenache from vines planted in 1955, only a small portion destemmed. Aged in barriques. La Papesse is Gramenon's top cru, crafted from sixty-year-old vines high on a rocky plateau in the commune of Vinsobres, where elevation and abundant limestone combine to give taut, high-toned wines with delicate floral aromas and stimulating mineral freshness. The domaine advises decanting young vintages, and in good years like 2024 this seductive red can be cellared for upwards of a decade.  Incredibly silky and lithe red carrying the full flavor, succulence, and savoriness we associate with Grenache on such a graceful and lively frame.

6) Domaine Gramenon Côtes du Rhone "Ceps Centenaires 'la Mémé" 2024 750ml (12 bottles available)
Sale Price: $94.99/btl!!
Gramenon's tête de cuvée, an outstanding example of nuance, depth, and ageability. 120 year old Grenache planted on shell-sandy soils and whole-cluster macerated for nearly three weeks. 

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