2018 Côtes du Rhône 'Il Fait Soif', Maxime François Laurent
Côtes du Rhône Rouge 'Il Fait Soif', Maxime-François Laurent is produced in a similar fashion to the ‘Poignée de Raisins’ above but is from Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah. As always this wine has a touch more power than the Poignee de Raisins - 2025 is Maxime's 19th vintage back on the home property and he has really hit his stride; his wines now as complete and assured as his mothers. This is very fine and very long on taste and is dangerously delicious, as you might expect from a wine christened – “it’s thirsty time”. Always the the dark horse and a favourite of mine !
Domaine Gramenon produces some of my absolute favourite wines from the Southern Rhône from their biodynamic vineyards way out in the North-Eastern part of the Cotes du Rhone, in fact they are in the department of the Drome, not the Vaucluse like nearly all others.
The quartier ‘Gramenon’ near the tiny hamlet of Montbrison sur Lez has become famous over the past 20 or so years because of the work of the Aubery’s in producing wines that have hallmarks of great finesse, grace, perfume and depth – not usually words one would use to describe Grenache from the Southern Rhône, but then these are certainly no ordinary wines..
