Château Saint-André-des-Ramières
AOP Gigondas
The hamlet of Saint-André-des-Ramières and its vines, near Gigondas, were partly acquired in 1929 and completely in 1999. The word Ramière is derived from the late Latin “rameria” meaning the banks of a river where branches accumulate. Here it designates the vegetation of the banks of the Ouveze, next to which the hamlet was built. The appellation vines grow on the plateau of Gigondas and the Col d’Alsau. The Château that is now the heart of our enterprise, and where we make our wines, was constructed here on the ruins of a monastery.
Terroir
We can distinguish three types of soil in the vineyards at Saint-André-des-Ramières: limestone clay, clayey marl and Valanginian marl. The soils are very stony on the surface with limestone scree, and this noble material facilitates root development. Grenache and Syrah do particularly well here. argilo-calcaires, marnes argileuses et marnes valanginiennes. Les sols sont très caillouteux en surface (éboulis calcaires). Le matériau est noble et facilite le développement racinaire de la vigne. Le grenache et la syrah s’y plaisent particulièrement.
The parcels on the Col d’Alsau
This legendary terroir, almost at the summit of the Dentelles de Montmirail on slopes at 450 metres altitude, is the highest vineyard in the Gigondas appellation. Cleared in the thirties, the large terraces on the Col d’Alsau offer a mix of Valanginian marl and limestone. The southwestern orientation guarantees maximum sunshine exposure, and a light wind in the vines. A terroir of immense quality, which produces wines with aromas of garrigue and of flint.
These parcels, purchased in 1959, required twenty years of work to restore them, between 1973 and1993.
Grape varieties
Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvèdre.
Wine profiles
The wines are deep in colour, with a complex nose of fruit (blackcurrant, cherry), smoky notes, humus, tobacco and liquorice. In the mouth they are full bodied with melting tannins. The terroir of the Dentelles de Montmirail gives fresh fruity aromas and good minerality, with notes of flint. Powerful tannins and great ageing potential are the hallmarks of these wines that are steeped in sunshine.
