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The Cairanne AOC is one of the most renowned terroirs in the vast Côtes-du-Rhône region. It was elevated to Cru status in 2016 after an extended period of high-quality production, driven by a group of passionate vignerons and winemakers that were determined to showcase their unique terroir. The wines stood out for having more freshness and elegance than those coming from other parts of the Côtes-du-Rhône. Domaine Marcel Richaud is one of the leading producers of the appellation, and largely responsible for the areas increased reputation over the last few decades. Marcel was passionate about viticulture and winemaking from a very young age, and dropped out of school to study viticulture when he was 17 years old. His family had always grown vines and sold fruit to the local cooperative, but Marcel decided to produce wines under the family name. At the age of 19 he bottled his first vintage from a parcel of his aunt’s vines, which he vinified in an old, dilapidated cellar with no roof. In the early 90’s his wines became popular in the Parisian natural wine scene, which allowed him to increase production and vineyard holdings.

In the winery, he experimented with pigéage, remontage, carbonic maceration, oak, cement, stainless steel and more, but found that what really makes great wine is the soil structure, the yields and the age of the vines. When he made wine unrestrained by sophisticated vinification techniques, these elements allowed the terroir of the region to express itself beautifully. As an advocate and member of the Association des Vins Naturels, Marcel believes that real wine should see no chemical treatment, filtering, commercial yeasts, or other techniques that would specifically alter a wine during vinification, with just a small amount of sulphur added at bottling. Along with Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Syrah - which he blends to allow for a greater level of balance and finesse - he grows 10% Cinsault and 15% of various local varietals. In the winery, each variety is vinified separately before being blended about eight months later. Today, Marcel is joined by daughter Claire and son Thomas, who took over the day-to-day operations in 2015 but remain under the close guidance of Marcel. They continue to follow Marcels philosophy of minimal intervention winemaking and thoughtful farming practices, while replanting vineyards with the best vine material available and investing in the winery, aiming to push quality even higher. The estate has been farmed organically for almost 40 years and is certified Biologique by Ecocert. The wines of Domaine Marcel Richaud are a true expression of the Cairanne AOC, with vibrant fruit and structure while maintaining an amazing balance and freshness.