LE DOMAINE DU CHÂTEAU VALCOMBE,
SAINT PIERRE DE VASSOLS

Luc and Cendrine Guenard bought this spectacular farm of 28 hectares at the foot of the Mont Ventoux a couple of years ago. Historically, Valcombe had been regarded as the best terroir in the region, but under the previous ownership standards had slipped and it had not been exploited to its full potential. The key to understanding its intrinsic worth is a combination of elements:
- altitude, average 250 metres
- north-facing exposition
- a coomb which sucks down cooling, evening winds
- organic farming; they await Ecocert certification
- a spotless, new cuverie in the middle of the vines, allowing all manipulation to be done by gravity
- old vines, average 40 years +, and low yields, average 29 hl/ha.

Four wines are currently produced:

A 100% Syrah, ‘Sereine’, raised in demi-muids with a quarter coming from tank to keep it fruity. This to me is still work in progress and constitutes only 3000 bottles.

An intriguing Rosé made half and half from Cinsault and Grenache Gris. 8000 bottles in 2010 and already sold out.

Quite a modern, oaky Blanc – one third new oak and the balance tank – made from Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Roussanne and Bourboulenc. This was fresh, but a little oaky in 2010 [better integrated with the extra bottle age in 2009] with the Roussanne variety, as so often, delivering the aromatics. Again 8000 bottles.

An unoaked red, called ‘Epicure’ made from 60% Grenache Noir, 25% old Carignan [1936 planting] and 15% Syrah. In 2010, I only tasted the constituent parts, which showed an admirable, juicy freshness. The 2009, where there are still 20,000 bottles left [production 80,000] seemed outstanding with its ripe, sweet, black fruit and gentle tannins; there is nothing brutal or rustic about it. Ideally the Guenard family would seek to sell between 8000 and 12000 bottles of this annually in the UK. Commercially, our intention, initially at least, is just to concentrate on this one cuvée, and then to see in due course if we can add on more from the range. It may well be, for example, that a pure Carignan will be bottled in 2010, but this remains under review.

Roy Richards