# La Guigasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape (2021)

- **Producer:** Chapelle Saint Théodoric
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Grenache
- **Region:** Rhône, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.5%
- **Average price:** €85
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, raspberry, strawberry, rose, violet, lavender, herbaceous, orange, liquorice, resinous, smoke, game, forest floor

## About this wine

Chapelle Saint Théodoric is a boutique partnership between American wine importer Peter Weygandt and winemaker Baptiste Grangeon of Domaine de Cristia. The domain is named after a historic 10th-century chapel in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The estate encompasses three hectares of old Grenache vines planted in fine sandy soils. The La Guigasse lieu-dit features vines ranging from 50 to 100 years old. Due to its pure sandy soil, whole-cluster vinification, and neutral oak aging, this cuvée is frequently celebrated for its extraordinary Burgundian elegance and stylistic similarities to Château Rayas.

## Interesting facts

- Frequently cited by critics as one of the closest stylistic parallels to Château Rayas due to its pure sandy terroir.
- The vines in the La Guigasse vineyard average 75 years of age, with some reaching up to 100 years old.
- Production is highly limited, with only around 4,800 bottles produced for the 2021 vintage.

## Food pairing

The vibrant acidity, medium-plus body, and fine-grained tannins harmonize with rich game, duck, and herb-seasoned meats, while earthy mushroom elements complement the whole-cluster complexity.

## Wine making process

Harvested by hand with sorting in the vineyard, the grapes undergo traditional 100% whole-cluster fermentation in concrete vats using indigenous wild yeasts. Winemaking focuses on gentle extraction to preserve aromatic purity and finesse. The wine is aged for 24 months in neutral 600-liter oak demi-muids, completely avoiding new oak to highlight the natural expression of old-vine Grenache on sandy soils.