Marcel Richaud Cairanne Rouge

Domaine Richaud is widely considered to be the finest producer in the appellation Cairanne and has elevated this village to one of the best terroirs in the Côtes-du-Rhône. Marcel Richaud, fifth generation grower, founded the estate in 1974 after making the decision from an early age to become an independent producer, estate bottling his wines rather than selling to the coop. At 17 years old, he told his father of his vision to make wines with their family name rather than growing and selling fruit which was a much more stable form of income in the 1960s and 70s. He dropped out of high school to study viticulture, understanding that his connection to the vineyards in Cairanne would be his life’s work. Marcel was just 19 when he began farming his aunt’s vines and slowly created a following for his wines. Over time, he took back much of the land his father farmed before him. Of course this path was a risk in the 1970s, but Marcel is no stranger to risk being an avid hang glider even now into his 70s! This is a blend of 40% Mourvèdre, 25% Grenache, 25% Syrah, and equal parts Carignan and Counoise from low-yielding vines with an average age of 40-70 years old, planted on the hillsides above the village of Cairanne. The flagship wine of the domaine and the appellation, Richaud's Cairanne is intensely expressive with aromas of red fruits and dark chocolate, followed by a palate that is rich and deep with a vibrancy that makes it a go-to year-round...even in the warmth of summer.