Domaine Richaud Côtes du Rhone ‘Terres de Galets’ 2021

Marcel Richaud is a veteran of the organic and natural wine movement and is primarily responsible for Cairanne’s reputation as one of the better ‘villages’ in the Côtes du Rhône. He belongs to the early wave of winemakers who, following Marcel Lapierre and colleagues, went in search of a purer and more digestible style than had become the norm in their respective appellations.

Even when Richaud took over the family domain as a young boy in the late 1970s, honest farming and traditional winemaking were his motives. Much to the shock of his father, who saw the family vineyards as a burden rather than a calling and always sold his grapes safely to the co-op. But Marcel aspired to the real vigneron-ship, and wanted to maintain himself in the vineyard and cellar without the intervention of modern trickery – with all the associated risks.

All wines are bottled without clarification and unfiltered, usually with a pinch of added sulphite. The result is wines that amaze with their aromatic expressiveness, power and digestibility. Yes, the alcohol reaches 14% nowadays, but it is so well packed in pure matter and carried by beautiful acidity that you hardly notice it (dangerous!).