Maison Chastagnol, "Debut d'Abus" 2020

At the northern tip of the Southern Rhône Valley, in an ancient Gallo-Roman village, a former IT engineer has begun carving out a reputation for particularly pure & nuanced off-vins-de-soif from the typical grape varieties of the region. The eponymous domaine, “Maison Chastagnol” founded by Jérôme Chastagnol, produced its first vintage in 2018. Not to be confused, however: he spent 5 years after quitting his 15-year IT career apprenticing with some of the absolute best low-intervention winemakers of Southern France before making his own wine. Among his mentors, he can count names like Gramenon, Oustric, Bock, & Métras. Quite the CV! His approach to winemaking is refreshingly straightforward, and the wines carry that sense of ease & expertise – think of a lighthearted brainiac. All ferments take place in fiberglass & élevage is 6-9 months for each cuvée, meanwhile, the cépages are not where creativity takes place. Rather, the wines are given license to possess their own depth, their own creativity thru the simplicity of monovarietal bottlings or classic blends of the region. In any case, the wines produced by Jérôme out of his cellar dug into the west-facing hills of a former chalk quarry are just starting to take off – like a river first starting its course, the impressions of these wines over time will only deepen.

Taking vinification cues from the masters of natural Beaujolais with a specific focus on quaffable, light-bodied, fruit-focused reds, this 100%  Grenache Noir is the perfect summer BBQ companion. The grapes are destemmed and fermented in whole bunches in fiberglass. Pressed and bottled unfined with a touch of SO2.