When Jérôme Bressy created Domaine Gourt de Mautens in 1996, Rasteau was a fairly obscure Côtes-du-Rhône Villages but with his family’s old vines and their naturally low yields he burst on the scene garnering attention for the potential of the terroirs of Rasteau. These were excitingly complex and novel wines coming from a place once only regarded for the production of vin doux naturel. Barely 23 years old with the release of his first vintage, Jérôme had benefitted from a decision that his father, Yves Bressy, had made in 1989 – the conversion of the family’s vineyards to organic farming. This allowed Jérôme to start Gourt de Mautens with healthy vines and living soils. In 2008 Jérôme took the additional step of completing the conversion to biodynamics, and earning certification from DEMETER.

Gourt de Mautens takes its name from the local dialect. Gourt is “a place where the water flows”, and Mautens is the word for a “storm or bad weather.” Together it is the place where the water flows when it storms. This unique part of the landscape ensures that even in the driest of years, the vines on the property have plenty of moisture in the clay subsoils deep underground. The top soil is chalky and rocky clays and marls. Poor in nutrients, these soils result in very low yields averaging 10-15 hl/ha. Favoring an integrated approach to cultivation and one that honors the traditions of his ancestors, Jérôme’s vineyards are surrounded by olive and fruit trees. Most of his vines are head-pruned and are between 30 and 100 years old. There is a complex tableau of aspects and orientations matched to a wide selection of indigenous grape varieties. So when the appellation decided to severely limit which varieties were permitted in AOC Rasteau, Jérôme decided to leave rather than change the makeup of his wines.

Made entirely from estate fruit grown in the village of Rasteau, Jérôme’s rouge is a blend of Grenache, Carignan, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Counoise, Cinsault, Vaccarèse, and Terret Noir from vines between 30 and 100 years old. The exposure of these low-bearing, head-pruned vines is northwest and southwest – providing both freshness and power to the final blend.