Winemaker Notes
La Montagne is an invitation to explore the highest terroir in Cairanne, the Montagne de Ventabren. Benefitting from altitude sunshine and a terroir of marl and scree, it is famed for being home to the finest parcels of the Cairanne cru. Each grape variety reveals a different aspect: Syrah draws its freshness and structure from it, and Grenache its intensity and richness. It is garnet red with bright violet reflections. The nose shows a delicious fruitiness, while the Syrah offers its wild cherry notes, and the Grenache its aromas of strawberry and raspberry. In the mouth you find an elegant, well-structured wine, with red berry fruit.
Blend: 60% Syrah, 40% Grenache
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Expressive black fruit, blackberry, herbal and damson nose with a twist of liquorice. Only medium-bodied, with such freshness, complexity, definition, sculpted tannins and a piercing beam of acidity. A powerful, concentrated and focused wine without hard edges and full of lovely warmth and sunshine flavours. Long finish.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2020 Domaine Galuval La Montagne is a first-rate example of an upscale Côtes du Rhône. TASTING NOTES: This wine offers aromas and flavors of red and black fruits. Pair it with grilled, skewered lamb. (Tasted: June 1, 2024, San Francisco, CA)
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James Suckling
This bold, powerful, yet fresh Cairanne is brimming with black berry fruit aromas and has a healthy freshness that supports the ample body and generous soft tannins. Nice touch of bitter chocolate at the bold finish. Sustainable. Drink or hold.
Domaine de Galuval is ideally positioned between Cairanne and Rasteau in the Southern Rhône. It consists of 120 in various parcels covering some of the best terroir with some of the oldest vines in the region. Low intervention and perfect growing conditions combined with careful parcel selection and judicious ageing result in thoroughly modern wines that remain true to the individual character of each vintage. Winemaker Emmanuel Couzi's style is guided by the richness of the fruit and the diversity of each terroir. The emblem of the Domaine de Galuval, the Rooster spins around as the weathervane is battered by the wind. The Mistral and the benefit it brings are what help their vineyards to prosper, ventilating the vines, keeping the grapes healthy and chasing away the clouds to allow them to reach perfect maturity.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
Typically thought of as a baby Chateâuneuf-du-Pape, the term Côtes du Rhône actually doesn’t merely apply to the flatter outskirts of the major southern Rhône appellations, it also includes the fringes of well-respected northern Rhône appellations. White wines can be produced under the appellation name, but very little is actually made.
The region offers some of the best values in France and even some first-rate and age-worthy reds. Red wine varieties include most of the Chateâuneuf-du-Pape varieties like Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, and Counoise, as well as Carignan. White grapes grown include Grenache blanc, Roussanne and Viognier, among others.