The flagship Côte-Rôtie “Nane” is a co-fermented blend of syrah and viognier grown in terre brune soil consisting of mica and schist. The cuvée is named “Nane” after their mother, from whom they inherited the property. Owing to Aude’s long relationship with the prestigious Guigal family, the entirety of the production is fermented and aged exclusively in used Tonnellerie Chateau d’Ampuis barrels.

With an average production of 3,000 bottles, Domaine de Cumelle is an exceptionally limited snapshot of a place and vintage, delivering the understated elegance of owners Aude and Hervé. The resulting wine is classically balanced, with lower alcohol by volume than has become customary in Côte-Rôtie.

Vintage Notes – 2018 was an outstanding vintage in the northern Rhône Valley, producing exciting wines of exceptional structure, perfume, and depth of flavor. The vintage is fresh, aromatic, substantial, and energetic. 2018 is a marriage of the richness of 2017 to the freshness of 2016. The 2018 vintage at Domaine de Cumelle is considered to be the vintage of the decade.

Vinification – After a manual harvest, the grapes are 70% destemmed. Syrah and viognier are co-fermented by indigenous yeasts following a pre-fermentation cold soak. They go through a post-fermentation warm maceration. The wine is racked into used Tonnellerie Château d’Ampuis barrels and aged for 19 months before bottling without added sulfur.