La Griffe - Côtes du Rhône Red 2023 Domaine de Villeneuve

La Griffe by Domaine de Villeneuve is the estate's entry-level wine, yet it embodies the same rigor and philosophy that guide Stanislas Wallut's more prominent cuvées. It originates from the same goblet-trained vines, cultivated without chemicals since 1998, and receives the same meticulous care in the vineyard and cellar that has made the estate one of Châteauneuf-du-Pape's most solid references. The difference from the Vieilles Vignes is not in philosophy, but in selection: here, Grenache expresses its most immediate and gourmand side, its Mediterranean and fruity aspect, without the stratified depth that centuries-old vines can build over time.

It is a Côtes du Rhône designed to be opened immediately, enjoyed with joy and without ceremony, yet capable of surprising with its cleanliness and balance. An honest wine in the truest sense of the word: it says exactly what it is, without enological tricks or masks.