Rotem & Mounir Saouma

From a Beaune cellar to a Pignan parcel

Mounir Saouma is quite candid about the fact that he doesn't fit into conventional molds. Born in Lebanon in 1967, he jokes that his official records are incorrect and that he was actually born a century ago, stored in a refrigerator, and then taken out again. He and Rotem settled in Burgundy in the late 1990s.

Their business, Lucien Le Moine, based in Burgundy, operates out of 1 ruelle Morlot in Beaune. This is a small négociant business that handles newly selected wines from Premiers and Grands Crus each year; these are often supplied in quantities as small as one or two barrels, and the wine cellar houses dozens of different wines at any given time. Their unique approach to aging (Élevage) is at the heart of this business.

Their Rhône story began in 2009. A plot of land in Pignan came on the market through the French state; although it had been somewhat neglected, it was situated right next to some outstanding plots, including Bois de Rayas. Such land rarely comes on the market in Burgundy, and the Saoumas have long been avid fans of Châteauneuf wines for many years.

While they were establishing themselves, the first vintages were vinified at the Famille Perrin facility. Mounir counts the Perrins, Henri Bonneau, Laurent Charvin, and Ogier's Jean-Pierre Durand among his friends in this appellation; while they encouraged his approach, they also often raised their eyebrows at it. Today, Rotem & Mounir Saouma's wine cellar is located in Vieux Bouigard, near Orange.

Eight parcels, five villages

The Rotem & Mounir Saouma estate owns eight separate vineyards spread across all five communes designated as part of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation. These communes are Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Bédarrides, Sorgues, Courthézon, and Orange. They consist of small plots and are intentionally scattered. In addition, there are Côtes du Rhône Villages vines in the Massif d'Uchaux area surrounding the winery.

The vineyard-purchasing strategy has remained consistent. Mounir focuses on identifying plots with good soil conditions that have been neglected, and over the years, has worked to revitalize the vineyards by replacing dead vines, increasing planting density, and improving drainage.

Organic fertilizers are used in vineyard work, and the low yields from old, rebuilt plots are accepted as they are rather than being forced to increase. Mounir compares this process to adopting a child, saying that while lineage is important, upbringing is even more so.

The terroir

The fact that Châteauneuf-du-Pape's vineyards are spread across five villages means the company has access to a wide variety of soils, and it is precisely this diversity that serves as the foundation for its entire product line. The soil at Esquiran is limestone. The vineyards in other regions each possess their own unique characteristics, which is precisely why they are stored separately in the wine cellar rather than blended into a single house style.

Mounir Saouma came to Rhône in the south after spending several years in Pinot Noir, and he finds family resemblances between Pinot and Grenache. From his perspective, both grapes are capable of producing silky, elegant wines rich in mineral flavors, and both exist in the form of Noir, Blanc, and Gris. This interpretation of Grenache explains a great deal about the flavors of these wines.

The winemaking

The harvested fruit is partially destemmed and then firmly pressed in a small press manufactured in the late 1970s. After undergoing maceration in tanks at relatively cool temperatures for about 8 days, the juice is transferred to aging vessels such as barrels, foudres (large wooden vats), concrete tanks, and egg-shaped tanks.

Thanks to the cool storage facilities, the entire process proceeds at a leisurely pace. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentation can last up to a year, a situation that would concern most winemakers. However, Rotem & Mounir Saouma considers this a natural part of the process.

Afterward, the wine is left undisturbed. There is no punching down or racking, and no sulfur is used at all until a small amount is added about a month before bottling. The aging period on the lees typically lasts 2 to 3 years, though for some cuvées, it can be much longer, up to about 5 years.

The result is Châteauneuf-du-Pape, born not from the early, protective winemaking practices common in this region, but from a Burgundian obsession with élevage. Very few wineries in this appellation work this way.

The cuvées

Rotem & Mounir Saouma bottles by site. The Châteauneuf-du-Pape product family includes the Pierredon, Charbonnieres, Pignan, and Crau; these belong to the Amphorae series and are identified by serial numbers rather than flashy designs: The Pignan corresponds to the Amph II, and the Crau corresponds to the Amph III. There is also an Amph I-IV collection set that brings this series together as a complete set.

In addition to single-vineyard bottled wines, this winery produces cuvées under names such as Omnia, Magis, and Arioso, and the Amphorae line also includes La Bigote. Their Côtes du Rhône Villages wine is called Inopia and is produced in both red and white varieties, while the Châteauneuf lineup includes both white and red wines.

No mass-produced wines are made here. Due to the small size of the vineyards, low yields, and long aging periods, production volumes remain limited, and the lineup changes as the vineyards mature.