Domaine Cristia Chapelle St Theodoric Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Guigasse 2017

American importer Peter Weygandt and winemaker Baptiste Grangeon of Domaine du Christia collaborate to produce the wines of Chapelle St. Theodoric. These wines are wonderfully aromatic and complex, showcasing density and length on the palate with a light and elegant Burgundian style. Although not inexpensive, they are requisite inclusions for Rhone Valley lovers who appreciate finesse and elegance.

The Domaine du Christia is an organic vineyard that consists of two parcels: one in the lieu-dit "La Guigasse" with a pure sand soil, and the other at the top of Pignan. The La Guigasse parcel has vines that range from 50 to 100 years old, and they are all Grenache. The traditional vinification process includes wild yeasts, minimal extraction, and two to three weeks of vinification with stems. The wines are then aged for two years in 600-liter barrels that are four to ten years old and bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Although the two parcels are vinified, aged, and bottled separately, both are treated the same to experiment and determine the differences in terroir between vines less than 200 meters apart, both with pure Grenache and traditional vinification. The experiment has been successful and exciting, as the difference between the two parcels is clear and distinct. The wine from La Guigasse is slightly richer.