Domaine Porte Rouge

Domaine Porte Rouge was founded in 2003 by Bernard Friedmann. The domain can be found in the heart of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and is named after the red gate leading from the winery to the village. Bernard started his career in wine as a négociant (wine merchant), but he eventually chose to make his own wine. One of his first acts as a new owner was to hire wine consultant Philippe Cambie. Philippe was a very talented winemaker from the southern Rhone who supported Bernard in the early years. Finally, after almost 20 years, Bernard decided to sell the domain to the Féraud family, known for the famous Domaine du Pegau. Porte Rouge is now run by Justine and Maxim, the two children of Laurence.

The vineyard area is not very large. It covers only 2.5 hectares in total and is divided over 6 different plots. The vines planted here are 60 years old on average. But there are also a number of vines of up to 90 years old! The planting consists of 85% Grenache and 15% Syrah. The winery follows organic farming regulations and since 2014 they have been officially certified as an organic farm by Ecocert.

The production of Porte Rouge consists of just one red Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine. The blend consists mainly of Grenache, supplemented with Syrah and a small amount of Mourvèdre. The grape bunches of the younger vines are usually destemmed. The grapes are then fermented in stainless steel tanks. After that, they mature for 18 to 24 months in French oak barrels. Production is limited; only 750 boxes are produced per year.

Domaine Porte Rouge is a small-scale, but a very high-quality winery from the Rhône. Legendary vintages are 2005, 2009, 2010 and 2016.