July 8, 2024 – At the time when Domaine Santa Duc announces the release of its new 2022 vintage of “Clos des Hospices” Red, the Gras family has also revealed that the first bottles made from white grapes from its Clos in the Gigondas appellation will see the light of day in 2025 on the vintage 2023. Coming from over-grafting vines initially planted with Syrah and Mourvèdre in 1994, the “Clos des Hospices” White will be composed of a blend of 90% Clairette and 10% Bourboulenc. All of the other vines of this Clos, exclusively planted in Grenache in 1994, thus make it possible to produce the “Clos des Hospices” Red from the 2022 vintage which reveals a fine and delicate wine on a terroir conducive to this very pure grape variety.
Located at an altitude of 300 meters, the vines of “Clos des Hospices” Blanc are cultivated on long narrow terraces, following the morphology of the landscape and the limestone rocks. Facing North-West, the vineyard benefits from a remarkable ecosystem, surrounded by 7 hectares of woods which provide freshness and biodiversity. At the heart of this ideal location, the gray marl soils dating back to the Cretaceous period, very rich in limestone, allow deep roots. They also play an important role in water reserve as well as in providing mineral salts and trace elements.
Benjamin Gras, owner:
“In the heart of this preserved Clos, we have imagined both the terroir and the vineyard best suited to making a great white Gigondas. The choice to only consider the highest part of the “Clos des Hospices” terrace was, for us, an obvious first step. The second was to over-graft this entire vineyard using massal selection in order to maintain maximum quality potential while maintaining the rootstock. It is this perfect match that sparked our family’s desire to create this great white wine.”
The National Institute of Origin and Quality (Inao) having decided in favor of the extension of the AOC Gigondas to white wines from the 2022 vintage, Domaine Santa Duc was keen to dedicate part of its historic clos at Clairette and Bourboulenc, in honor of this new great white wine from the Rhône Valley. On the highest part of the “Clos des Hospices”, Clairette – the largest white grape variety in the south – represents 90% of the white grape variety. The altitude being a guarantee of freshness, this grape variety brings elegance, purity and the typical expression of white flowers. The remaining 10% are planted with Bourboulenc, a grape variety providing liveliness and freshness. The abundance of limestone in the subsoil of this upper part of Clos des Hospices will guarantee fresh, mineral and saline white wines with a chalky structure.
Read the 2022 vintage report by Benjamin Gras : HERE
