This beautiful estate, owned by Maurice Barnouin, is located in the hills northwest of Nîmes, in the western Rhône Valley near the town of Uzes and the famous Pont du Gard. The viticultural area lies just outside the Costières de Nîmes appellation and is only entitled to label its wines as Vin de Pays des Cévennes. The wines of Domaine de Gournier however, aspire to greater stature than this simple designation. Being up in the hills, this vineyard is surrounded by the garrigue as well as low limestone hills which are studded with calcareous rock and sparse clumps of wind-beaten vegetation.
Maurice produces only a small amount of Cuvée Templiere, the prestige or reserve wine of the estate and we were lucky enough to snag twenty cases. It is made from a very severe selection of his finest Syrah, Cabernet, and Mourvedre along with a splash of Grenache. Each of these varieties are vinified and aged separately in either new or one year old barrels (excluding the Grenache which is aged in tank), then blended and bottled un-fined and unfiltered. The wine displays lush, ripe, dark fruit and Provencal spice aromas and flavors with good structure and a touch of spicy vanilla from the cask. Drinking very well now, this is a really great wine and a tremendous value.
Regular Price: $14.99
Fall Special: $11.99 – Sorry, this has sold out