In France’s Southern Rhône Valley, just 12 kilometers east of Avignon, lies Domaine des Garriguettes, a four-generation family winery, in the village of Châteauneuf de Gadagne. Sébastien Clément is a young vigneron handcrafting innovative and fresh expressions that honor the traditions of his Provençal village. The domaine utilizes strictly natural and regenerative farming practices and produces Demeter-certified biodynamic wines from old vines. Made without the use of chemicals or additives, Garriguettes offers wines of exceptional freshness, elegance, and ultimate drinkability; a revelation in southern France. 

Domaine des Garriguettes benefits from the idyllic Mediterranean climate and exposure to the warm southern Mistral wind, both of which provide optimal conditions for organic and biodynamic viticulture. Old olive trees cohabitate among cinsault, grenache, mourvèdre, and syrah vines on the property, many of which have been in the family for generations. Garriguettes was the first vineyard in their village to embrace organic agriculture and continues to be a natural winemaking leader in the region. 

In the cellar, Sébastien works in an intuitive manner with the least amount of intervention possible. Every vineyard and cuvée is handled individually; the only formula at the winery is excellence. Indigenous yeasts are used for alcoholic fermentation for the entirety of the cuvées, and malolactic fermentations are spontaneous and never rushed. Added sulfur dioxide is minimal, if used at all. There is no dogma about sulfur, other than Sébastien endeavors to make the very best, most expressive wine possible, with or without sulfur.

Domaine des Garriguettes has one 0.3 hectare parcel in Châteauneuf-du-Pape Called ‘La Borne’ that they work by hand and by horse. The vineyard is located at the south of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, in a cooler zone, at 80m with the typical galets roulés soil. The goblet-trained vineyard was planted in 1964 and is vinified 100% whole cluster and produced without added sulfites. La Borne is a truly unique and new expression in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with its light frame, bright and juicy fruit, and irrepressible energy. 

It is not an overstatement to say that in La Borne, Domaine des Garriguettes gives us the blueprint for a new style of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, one that does not rely on over-ripeness or the excessive use of oak barrels to provoke interest. On the contrary, La Borne displays the perfume, elegance, and grace associated with some of the most celebrated examples of the region from wineries like Château Rayas and Charvin. The only downside is the tiny production of the vineyard, which yields an average of just 1800 bottles per vintage. A true, singular gem worth seeking out.

Vinification – The entire parcel is hand-harvested and vinified together. Whole bunches are handpicked and fermented as whole clusters with stems. Spontaneous alcoholic fermentation with indigenous yeasts in open-top stainless steel tanks, 30 day maceration of the cap with manual punchdowns, followed by spontaneous malolactic fermentation in four-year-old French demi-muids barrels (520L). The wine then ages for 15 months total in the same barrels. Fined and unfiltered.

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