Profile: La Bastide St Dominique

[ Southern Rhone – France ]

www.Bastide-St-Dominique.com

Reviews & Tasting Notes

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The vineyards of La Bastide St Dominique cover some 60+ acres centered around the commune of Courthezon, not far from Beaucastel. Under the supervision of Eric Bonnet, this family winery has rapidly gained recognition as an excellent source for pure and modern styled Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines. Vineyards include planting of all the major approved varieties, including Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Cinsault – with some plots more than 50 years in age.

Bonnet points to an interesting approach to balancing the oft debated choices between embracing modern technology vs. paying homage to long-established traditions, whereby he utilizes the best available modern equipment, while staying true to traditional winemaking methods, techniques and protocols. This careful and well-reasoned balance offers a refreshingly thoughtful and well-reasoned approach to a polarizing question in the world of wine.

Red wines across the range are produced using extended maceration and aeration via pumpovers, with the intent of achieving superior extraction of fruit and phenolic complexity. Following fermentation, aging in wood never involves the use of more than 20% new oak barrels – and no new oak is used in the production of any of the Chateauneuf-du-Pape cuvees.