Domaine Durieu
Côtes du Rhône-Villages
 
The vineyards of Paul Durieu begin on some of the original property of the archbishops of Avignon where he and his winemaker sons, Vincent and Francois produce their Châteauneuf du Pape on 21 hectares (~50 acres) and extends further into the regional Côtes du Rhone & Côtes du Rhone –Villages appellations where they produce regional wines with the same care and skill as their flagship Châteauneuf du Pape. Overall, the vineyards are composed of clay and the famous “galets”, small rounded stones that were brought down from the alps during the last Ice Age. This plateau, often swept by the famous mistral winds and warmed by the strong Mediterranean sun, is planted to Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Counoise, all bringing their unique characteristics to Paul Durieu’s wines.

Their Côtes du Rhone-Villages is produced using mostly Grenache 70% that is blended with Syrah 20%, Mourvèdre 5%, and Cinsault 5%. Whole grape cluster maceration provides a rich and red raspberry fruit flavor and the subsequent fermentation is temperature controlled to preserve the freshness of the fruit. After the fermentation and maceration, the wine ages in 600 liter barrels for one year of ageing before bottling.

This delicious Côtes du Rhone-Villages wine shows a dark garnet color that is brilliant and has good clarity to the eye. The spicy aromas show red fruits with notes of leather that just jumps out of the glass. On the palette, the wine round and balanced with a beautiful vivacity or racy feel with deep red fruit, ripe and smooth tannins with a long finish. This wine pairs well with red meats with sauce or from the grill, spicy dishes, cheeses, and just about anything from the grill.
 
Durieu Family   Durieu Family & Ron Spears

 

Chicago, Illinois