Domaine du Cayron

This female-led family domaine was founded in 1840. Today, it is run by the three sisters Cendrine, Roseline and Delphine who represent the fifth generation of the Faraud family. The domaine spans 17 hectares, spread over 20 plots throughout the Gigondas appellation. They extend from the higher-altitude Col du Cayron at 430 metres – plots that lie in the shadows of the awe-inspiring Dentelles de Montmirail for much of the day – down to the alluvial plains of Bois de Menge at 140 metres.

True to the simplicity of Gigondas, Domaine du Cayron produce only one wine: a balanced blend of all their plots and terroirs, mixing concentrated old vines with younger. The average age of their vines is 45, with the oldest planted in 1920. Their winemaking couldn’t be more traditional and their cellar has seen few changes since it was built in 1937. Indeed, they only upgraded from a wooden basket press to a pneumatic press in 2015. Grapes are harvested by hand, mostly fermented as whole bunches and aged in concrete and old foudres.

In 2021 they continued to partially destem – a technique they first explored in ’20, but one which becomes key in cooler years to avoid incorporating underripe stalk tannins. They weren’t affected by frosts this year so their yield is fairly typical. Their wine displays refined concentration alongside the freshness and purity that has come to characterise this vintage.