France · Rhône Méridional

Domaine Saint Damien

Saurel family domaine in Gigondas, with organic vineyards, Grenache based reds and named cuvées such as La Louisiane.

The producer

At La Beaumette in Gigondas, the Saurel family farms 45 hectares of vineyards certified organic since 2012. Grenache leads the Gigondas plantings alongside Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Syrah. Red wines are hand harvested, destemmed, fermented in old cement tanks and matured in old foudres. The range includes the Gigondas cuvées Classique, Louisiane and Les Souteyrades, plus Plan de Dieu, Côtes du Rhône and Vin de France bottlings.

Known for

Grenache based Gigondas cuvées

Notable facts

The story

Joël Returns To Estate Wine

In 1996, Joël Saurel resumed producing wine at the estate after the Saurel family had sold its grapes to négociants. The family had tended vineyards at the property since 1821, but estate wine production had moved away from the property before Joël's return. The domaine now vinifies, matures and bottles all its wines at the estate, including the Gigondas cuvées Classique, Louisiane and Les Souteyrades. Its vineyards extend across Gigondas, Plan de Dieu, Côtes du Rhône Villages and Vin de France.

From the atlas

Domaine Saint Damien

Saurel family domaine at La Beaumette in Gigondas, farming organically and bottling Grenache based wines across several Rhône appellations.

At A Glance

ItemDetail
HomeLa Beaumette, Gigondas
AppellationsGigondas, Plan de Dieu, Côtes du Rhône Villages, Vin de France
Vineyard area45 hectares
Main grapeGrenache, with Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Syrah in Gigondas
Signature wineLa Louisiane
Gigondas cuvéesClassique, Louisiane, Les Souteyrades
FarmingCertified organic vineyards

The Producer

Domaine Saint Damien is the Saurel family's domaine at La Beaumette in Gigondas. The estate works organically, with Grenache as the principal grape in its Gigondas vineyards. Its wines span Gigondas, Plan de Dieu, Côtes du Rhône Villages and Vin de France, and the domaine keeps production at the property from vinification through bottling.

The name on the label belongs to a family with vineyard history at the property, while the range brings several appellation names into one domaine. Gigondas carries the named cuvées, Plan de Dieu supplies a separate appellation wine, and Vin de France allows Le 10 de Saint Damien to sit outside those place names.

Place

At La Beaumette, Domaine Saint Damien is based in Gigondas, with vineyards extending across Gigondas, Plan de Dieu, Côtes du Rhône Villages and Vin de France. These designations place the wines under different geographic categories, from the home appellation to a broader Vin de France label.

The Gigondas range includes Classique, Louisiane and Les Souteyrades. La Louisiane uses a named place within Gigondas, while Plan de Dieu Vieilles Vignes and Le 10 de Saint Damien carry different appellation or category names on the label.

Soil And Site

Winter ground cover is encouraged in the vineyards. Fertilization uses manure from organic Alpine farms, and the soils are mechanically cultivated from April through July. These actions keep the ground covered in winter and reduce reliance on synthetic treatments during the growing season.

Natural vine protection uses sulfur, low quantities of copper, plant infusions, goat whey and essential oils. The vines average about 50 years of age and yield very little, giving the domaine mature, low yielding vineyard material for its Grenache based wines.

Story

The domaine's modern name dates to 1979, when Joël Saurel named the estate Domaine Saint Damien after a ruined chapel near the cellars. The chapel no longer exists.

Romain Saurel joined his father in 2013 after viticultural training and oenology studies, then gradually assumed responsibility at the domaine. The vineyards had been certified organic since 2012. The wines are vinified, matured and bottled at the domaine.

Vineyards And Cellar

Grenache leads the Gigondas plantings, joined by Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Syrah. Red grapes are harvested by hand, destemmed and fermented in large old cement tanks. Extended skin maceration keeps the grape skins in contact with the fermenting wine, extracting colour, tannin and aroma.

The Gigondas wines mature in large old foudres, which are oak vessels that allow gradual oxygen exchange without the strong new oak flavour of small new barrels. Bottling takes place without fining or filtration, leaving the wines in their unclarified, unfiltered form.

Wines

The range centers on Gigondas and Plan de Dieu, supplemented by Côtes du Rhône and Vin de France bottlings. Within Gigondas, Classique, Louisiane and Les Souteyrades provide the named cuvées.

Plan de Dieu Vieilles Vignes is made from 80% Grenache and 20% Mourvèdre. The 2024 wine fermented for 30 days in concrete before maturing for 10 months in concrete tanks and large old oak foudres.

Le 10 de Saint Damien is a Vin de France made from 80% Grenache and 20% Marselan. It receives five weeks of maceration in concrete. The range therefore moves from appellation named Gigondas and Plan de Dieu to a Vin de France wine with a different grape pairing.

In The Glass

La Louisiane 2019 shows wild strawberry, blueberry, mint, peppery herbs and garrigue. Silky tannins support a full bodied, powerful palate, with enough length for the wine to evolve over 10 to 15 years. The 2022 bottling is dry, medium bodied and lightly oaked.

Plan de Dieu 2024 brings raspberry, liquorice and ripe blueberry, followed by earthy incense, herbs and pepper. Chewy tannins carry into a long, fresh, fruit driven finish marked by black pepper.

Le 10 de Saint Damien 2012 is medium bodied, soft and supple, with earth, minerality and juicy berry fruit. Its texture is gentler than the chewy Plan de Dieu profile, while the earthy notes keep the wine connected to the Rhône style of the domaine.

A Bottle To Understand It

Choose La Louisiane. It is one of the named Gigondas cuvées, made from 80% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre and a combined 5% Cinsault and Syrah. The grapes macerate for six weeks in concrete vats, then mature for 12 months in oak foudre.

The label carries both La Louisiane and Gigondas. The blend, concrete maceration and oak élevage belong to this single named Gigondas wine, giving the bottle a clearly defined place within the domaine's range.

Anecdote

In 1996, Joël Saurel resumed producing wine at the estate after the Saurel family had sold its grapes to négociants. The family had tended vineyards at the property since 1821, so Joël's decision brought estate wine production back to a vineyard operation with a long family history. Domaine Saint Damien's own wine production resumed at the family property in 1996.

Final Word

All of Domaine Saint Damien's wines are vinified, matured and bottled at the estate. The range keeps Gigondas at its center while extending into Plan de Dieu, Côtes du Rhône and Vin de France.

Sources

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