"Lively ruby colour with a ripe silky nose of dark plum and a voluptuous soft palate with good backbone to the finish."
Built in Roman times, Château de Bord in the village of Laudun belonged to the Vicars of Uzes during the 11th century and later to the Count of Toulouse. It was abandoned after the French Revolution in 1789.
It changed hands several times until it was purchased in 1991 by the Brotte family, who saw incredible potential in its surrounding vines. Situated on a south facing hillside, the vineyard is spread over 22ha of terraces. Its soil is a well drained mixture of clay and limestone and is rich in fossils of oysters and other shells left by the retreating sea in the Mesozoic era, some 250 to 65 million years ago.
‘Wines of the Rhone’ by Livingstone-Learmonth
'Laudun is one of the four oldest Cotes du Rhone Villages, having been allowed to use its name on its wine since 1953, when Gigondas (now a full appellation), Cairanne and Chusclan were similarly promoted. Probably the first organised wine-making at Laudun originated with the building of a medieval castle at the village, this refers to what is now known as Chateau de Bord when King Louis XIII visited the region in 1629.'
2017 was a good year with low yields, beautiful rich sugar and deep colour. The red wines are powerful, round and balanced. The tannic Grenache and Syrah are aged in French oak (1/3 new oak barrels , 1/3 one year old, 1/3 two years old), while the softer Grenache is matured in concrete vats and 100 year old oak vats to preserve the fruit. Bottling takes place in March, after more than a year of ageing and a light filtering.
