Located in the rich appellation of Gigondas in Rhone Valley, the France-based Domaine Saint Damien wine company is one of the most respected and reputed labels in this area. It is a family-owned company run by the Saurel Family since 1821. Currently, the youngest member of this family, Joel Saurel, runs the estate and the winery. In 1979, the family named the vineyard, “Saint Damien” as a memory of a church that used to once stand in the location of the lands.
The wines produced by Saint Damien are extremely great when it comes to their ageing capacity. This is because the vineyards are strategically located beneath the Dentelles de Montmirail. The rocky soils of the vineyards and the slopes where the vines are cultivated help to improve the quality and ageing capacity of the wines created here.
Since 1996, Joel Saurel has been practising organic and sustainable viticultural techniques in the farm here to ensure to pay full respect to the lands. It was in 2012 that this vineyard was certified with the “Organic Agriculture” award. Hand-harvesting and organic fertilisers are used here to retain the natural qualities of the land. When it comes to winemaking tricks, Joel mixes quite a lot of innovative methods to the age-old French winemaking traditions to create unique wines.
The wine range of Saint Damien is divided into three types (Traditional Vintage, Louisiane Vintage and Souteyrades Vintage) based on the diverse soil types found in specific regions. Some of the popular wines of this brand are:
Gigondas Rose’ - 80% Cinsault, 20% Syrah
Gigondas Classique – 80% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre
Gigondas Les Souteyrades - Same as above
Gigondas La Louisiane – 80% Grenache, 15% Mourvedre and 5% of Cinsault & Syrah
Cotes du Rhone – 80% Grenache, 15% Carignan and 5% Mourvedre
Cotes du Rhone La Bouveau – Blend of Syrah, Cinsault and Grenache
Vin de France – 80% Grenache, 20% Marselan
http://www.domainesaintdamien.com
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