Domaine Raspail-Ay

Domaine Raspail-Ay has been a family-owned estate for five generations, comprising 18 hectares of vineyards, now managed by Dominique Ay. The contiguous plots surround the winery buildings of Domaine Raspail-Ay, which are located at the entrance to Gigondas. The soil is clay-limestone with an east-west exposure, ideal for the appellation’s structuring grape varieties (Grenache Noir, Syrah, and Mourvèdre), which have an average age of 45 years. In keeping with the estate’s winemaking tradition, adapted over time to the remarkable natural conditions, the wine produced on the property is exclusively AOC Gigondas (red and rosé), designed to express the terroir.

At Domaine Raspail-Ay, the grapes are harvested by hand, sorted on the vine, then destemmed to ferment during long vatting periods (about 1 month) in the family’s vats. The wine from Domaine Raspail-Ay is then aged for 18 to 24 months in old oak casks, ranging in capacity from 40 to 130 hectoliters. Thus, it is two years after the grape harvest that the red Gigondas from Domaine Raspail-Ay is ready for tasting. With a garrigue-scented nose and a ruby color, the balance on the palate lies between a structure of ripe fruit or spices and refined tannins. The wine can be enjoyed 3 or 4 years after harvest (depending on the vintage) and aged for up to 15 or even 20 years.