Côtes du Rhône Vieilles Vignes Font de Courtedune 2022

Established in 1997 by the Charrier family when they decided to leave the winemaking cooperative and vinify independently, the estate has steadily built a reputation as one of the appellation’s respected and consistent producers. Today, Caroline Charrier oversees winemaking, while her brother Frédéric manages the vineyards, continuing a family venture that may, in time, be passed on to the next generation.
The vineyard extends over around 35 hectares across several appellations. Grenache forms the backbone of the plantings, alongside Syrah, Cinsault and Mourvèdre, with smaller proportions of lesser-known varieties such as Caladoc. The soils, composed of nearly 80% sand, recall those of certain neighbouring terroirs – notably Château Rayas – and naturally lend themselves to wines of great refinement and delicacy.
Vineyard management is conventional and pragmatic, with regular soil cultivation and sheep manure used as fertiliser. Harvesting is adapted to grape variety and training system: trellised Syrah parcels are machine-harvested, while the old Grenache vines trained using the gobelet method (forming four arms around a central base to distribute and aerate the clusters) are picked by hand.
In the winery, long macerations with whole bunches and ageing in concrete vats – up to two years for the Châteauneuf-du-Pape – are designed to preserve freshness and aromatic purity. The wines stand out for their expressive fruit, balance and elegance, qualities regularly praised by specialist guides such as La Revue du Vin de France.