Domaine Brun Avril Côtes du Rhone Rouge '24

While Domaine Brun Avril, founded in 2008, may be a relatively new winery on the scene, there is a weight of history here. Husband and wife duo Jean-Jacques and Nathalie Brun studied winemaking specifically to preserve their family's history - their vines were inherited, and the history of the Avril family in the region dates back 15 generations to the 1300s.

Fittingly, Jean-Jacques and Nathalie take great pains to let the vines speak of this history. Vineyard practices follow organic methods, and the domaine is on its way to official certification. And for each vintage in both the Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Cotes-du-Rhône bottlings, they produce only a single red and a single white, allowing the vintages to speak to their own unique character.

The '24 Cotes-du-Rhône rouge is hand harvested before fermenting in stainless steel and concrete, with a year afterward in demi-muids. 60% Grenache from 35 year old vines offers vivid red fruit as the principle take away, but the remainder of the blend from older vine Syrah adds structure and depth. The result has both poise and depth, with enough bright acidity to keep things lively.