Domaine Santa Duc : Les Saintes Vierges 2022

Characteristics and tasting notes for the Châteauneuf-du-Pape "Les Saintes Vierges" 2022

Tasting notes

Colour
The colour reveals a beautiful red hue.

Nose
The aromatic bouquet stands out for its finesse, revealing scents of wild flowers and white pepper, harmoniously complemented by notes of kirsch reminiscent of black cherry.

Palate
With a supple and refined texture, the palate offers wonderful approachability. It unfolds flavours of ripe cherries and strawberries, bringing lovely freshness. The whole is enriched with nuances of Mediterranean scrubland herbs and spices, extending into a remarkably long, velvety and delicately spiced finish.

Food and wine pairing

This red wine pairs wonderfully with classic meats such as veal, pork, beef, duck, game or roast chicken. It particularly enhances lamb with Mediterranean herbs, barbecued grills or a traditional cassoulet. Its versatility also allows it to accompany Asian cuisine, meaty fish such as tuna, as well as dishes based on mushrooms, aubergines, tomatoes or a cheese platter.

Service and storage

With great potential, Les Saintes Vierges 2022 can be enjoyed from 2025 and will develop favourably until around 2037. In its youth, it is recommended to decant it for one to two hours before serving. For optimal tasting, serve at a temperature of 15.5°C.

The elegance and complexity of a great Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine

The estate

Founded in 1874, Domaine Santa Duc is a historic figure of the Rhône Valley, initially located in Gigondas, France. Passed down from generation to generation, it is now run by Benjamin Gras, who succeeded his father Yves Gras, still an owner. The estate spans around 30 hectares across several prestigious appellations. A pioneer of environmentally friendly viticulture, the estate stands out for its dual organic and biodynamic certification, as well as its meticulous plot-by-plot approach and minimal-intervention winemaking, revealing the authentic expression of its terroirs.

The vineyard

The grapes for this cuvée come from carefully selected plots within the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation. The vines thrive on sandy soils, a terroir particularly renowned for its ability to produce wines of great finesse, favouring elegance and aromatic transparency over raw power.

The vintage

The year 2022 offered climatic conditions allowing a return to more classic proportions for the region, following a particularly ripe previous year. This growing cycle favoured an optimal balance between fruit concentration and structure, providing ideal conditions for berry development.

Winemaking and aging

For the Les Saintes Vierges 2022 cuvée, the harvest is exclusively manual, followed by a rigorous double sorting both in the vineyard and at the winery. Fermentation takes place with partial whole-bunch pressing, using only indigenous yeasts. The wine then benefits from 18 months of ageing, split between 36-hectolitre oak foudres and 8-hectolitre terracotta amphorae, in order to preserve the purity of the fruit. Bottling is carried out without fining or filtration.

Grape varieties

• 80% Grenache
• 10% Mourvèdre
• 10% Counoise