Domaine Richaud

The history of Domaine Richaud

The history of Domaine Marcel Richaud began in the late 1960s. At the time, the grapes from the Richaud family vineyard were processed by the Cairanne cooperative. When Marcel took over Domaine Richaud in 1974, he was just 17 years old and determined to produce his own wine, bypassing the cooperative.

In 1987, he enlarged his estate, acquiring an additional 3 hectares for his now-famous Ebrescade wine. Today, Domaine Richaud has become the spearhead of the Cairanne appellation. Marcel already knows who will carry on his work when he takes over Domaine Richaud: his son Thomas and one of his daughters, Claire.

The Domaine Richaud vineyard

The Domaine Richaud vineyard covers 67.4 hectares: 63.1 hectares of reds and 4.3 hectares of whites. The average age of the vines is 50 years.

The grape varieties are divided as follows:

White grape varieties: Bourboulenc (30%), Clairette (30%), Grenache blanc (10%), Marsanne (10%), Roussanne (10%) and Viognier (10%) ;
Red varietals: Grenache noir (50%), Mourvèdre (25%), Syrah (10%), Counoise (5%), Cinsault (5%) and Carignan (5%).

Harvested by hand, Domaine Richaud produces an average of 200,000 bottles a year. Marcel Richaud's exacting standards are well known, as is his precision when it comes to deciding on the harvest, which is planned down to the hour, depending on the grape variety. Fermentation begins using only the grapes' indigenous yeasts.

The wines of Domaine Richaud

L'Ebrescade rouge

Domaine Richaud's Ebrescade rouge is a blend of Mourvèdre, Grenache and Syrah grapes. Mourvèdre still dominates, from the Ebrescade vineyard, 327 meters above sea level, on the heights of the village of Cairanne.
L'Ebrescade boasts an intense dark garnet color. The nose is very expressive, full of ripe red fruit and enhanced by smoky notes. The palate is voluminous and powerful. Its aromas are still reminiscent of ripe red fruit, backed by robust tannins. The finish is long. Spicy notes of cinnamon and undergrowth.

Domaine Richaud - Cairanne blanc

Domaine Richaud's Cairanne appellation white combines all the region's grape varieties. However, Clairette and Bourboulenc dominate. They are complemented by Roussanne, Marsanne, Grenache Blanc and Viognier. The grapes come from the various Domaine Richaud plots located on the sandy soils of the vineyard's north-western slope.
The wine is golden yellow in color. The nose is delicate, blending aromas of orange peel, white flowers, honey and nectarine. The palate is opulent and surprisingly smooth. Filled with white-fruit aromas. Spicy notes appear on the long finish.