It's no exaggeration to say that well-travelled Benjamin Gras is crafting some of the most elegant and soulful wines in the Southern Rhône.
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate
About the Wine
This wine has a foot in both camps. There is no denying that it is a full bodied, powerful creation, but you also have to respect the elegance and softness here. Most impressively, it has the confidence and charm to pull this off.
A 50/50 blend, it's hard to tell where the Grenache stops and the Mourvedre begins - both seamlessly meld into the other. There is plenty of bright forest fruits coming from one, and a whole lot of savoury complexity coming from the other. They both lift each other up, showing the inherent quality of this 150 year old vineyard.
About Santa Duc
Long seen as a benchmark in Southern Rhone, the wines of Santa Duc are known for their concentration and longevity. Founded in 1874, the estate is currently being led by 4th generation winemaker Yves Gras and his son, Benjamin. The estate has been producing organic wines since 1985 and all fruit is hand harvested, fermented using indigenous yeasts and bottled without filtration.
What truly sets them apart, though, is their preference for large format oak and clay amphora, allowing fruit quality to shine through. While some of the wines are traditional, muscular reds, each of them benefit from a level of elegance, restraint and grace which is unsurpassed in the region.

Southern Rhone, France