Crous St Martin 2019 Cairanne "Les Goupilles"

The Wine

Though not surprising to even a minor geology buff, the vineyards of Crous St Martin resemble the gravelly river stones (galets roulés, see image) of its more famous neighbor, Châteauneuf du Pape. Grapes grown in these 'soil' types produce a wine that is deep and concentrated.

But in addition, the vineyards also have some alluvial soils (ancient river deposits) of fine sand mixed with clay, and grapes grown in these soils produce wines of elegance and finesse.

By crafting wines from grapes in both soil types, Crous St Martin creates wines with both deep bass notes and thrilling treble, if you'll allow the musical analogy.

The Winery

Crous St Martin is located in the north-east of Châteauneuf du Pape. The appellation's origin dates back to 1879 when the St Martin’s Cross (“Crous” in local provincial language) was renovated. The region's most notable landmark, it was originally installed as a road marker on the way to Châteauneuf, to be followed by religious pilgrims making the trek to the holy see.

Saint Martin, the region's namesake, is the messenger of civic rights and selfless act of sharing, including the noble act of sharing wine - as indicated by the integration of a wine bottle within the Cross itself, as shown in the images here….