The 30ha Coudoulet vineyard is just east of the vineyard of Beaucastel on the other side of the A7 motorway, and Coudoulet is often described as ‘baby Beaucastel’. The Beaucastel and Coudoulet terroirs are virtually identical -- ancient seabeds covered by deposits of the famous ‘galets roulés’, rounded pebbles and larger stones that absorb heat during the day and release it slowly at night, giving the vines the best possible early spring start.
The typical blend for this superior Côtes-du-Rhône is 40% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 20% Shiraz and 10% Cinsault. Each variety is hand-harvested and kept separate in the winery. After fermentation the wines macerate in cement tanks for 12 days before careful, pneumatic pressing. Blending of the four varieties takes place after malolactic fermentation and the wine is matured in large oak foudres for six months before bottling.
