Southern Rhône Report: Great Wines, Great Values - And Introducing Terre des Chardons!
10/24/2024
Despite the recent 80-degree temperatures, Fall seems to be here and it's time to enjoy the beautiful Grenache and Syrah-based wines of the Southern Rhone. Today, we're very proud to re-introduce to the US the delicious Biodynamic wines of Domaine Terre des Chardons in the Costieres de Nimes! The estate is located on limestone soils with deep beds of stones from the Rhone river and produces deeply flavored, complex wines that are elegant and fresh - and at very attractive prices. And don't miss their unique and full-bodied Clairette de Bellegarde!
Also on offer today are the great Chateauneuf-du-Papes of Pierre André, Clos des Papes and La Chapelle Theodoric and the our favorite "junior" CDPs from Charvin and Ferrand. You'll find great wines and superb values from Gigondas, Sablet, Seguret and Saint-Maurice and the Côtes du Rhône as well.
Unlike in Burgundy, prices in the southern Rhône have remained stable for many years while the farming and winemaking have continued to improve, thus savvy consumers can enjoy a truly delicious Biodynamic Côtes du Rhône for $13.99 (!), complex and delicious Sablet and Seguret for under $20, and a gorgeous Gigondas for under $30, all from organic or Biodynamic farming and no-nonsense vinifications. Time to take advantage...!
(Pictured above is the ever-smiling Laurent Charvin with old vines in the "Le Poutet" vineyard)
Terre des Chardons
Some notes from this unique estate…
"The Chardon family, originally from Azay-le-Rideau in the Loire Valley, settled in the Gard commune of Bellegarde in the early 1980s. Today, Terre des Chardons covers 9 hectares on the Costières plateau at the heart of their organic farm dedicated to vegetable growing and olive growing, producing Demeter-certified Biodynamic wines since the first harvest in 2002. All of the wines are in the Protected Costières de Nîmes Appellation and Protected Clairette de Bellegarde Appellation.
Clairette de Bellegarde is a micro-appellation of only 9 hectares giving birth only to a single-varietal white wine (100% white clairette). It's a superb and powerful dry white in the spirit of the great wines of the Rhône Valley, produced only in Bellegarde on the hectares bordering the medieval village.
Demeter certified since our first harvest, we use only natural products. Our philosophy is to help the vine reveal its terroir for a more personal expression of our wines. The soil is made up of siliceous stones, once deposited by the Rhone, locally called "gress". These stones, heated during the day by the sun, release this heat at night for better ripening of the grapes. They give the soil better filtering properties and therefore guarantee natural freshness (especially important for the Syrah.) They facilitate access of the roots to deeper water tables and thus offer the vines better resistance to summer drought.
Our work in the biodynamic vineyard is mainly based on the principle of dynamization and on the use of specific natural preparations in homeopathic doses. This allows for better vitality, a good balance of the vine and the soil and deeper rooting for a faithful expression of the terroir. The diversity of fauna and flora in the vineyard is also a key factor present within the domain…"
We urge you to discover these unique and delicious wines which offer great everyday enjoyment and sensational value!
