Chateau du Trignon Côtes du Rhone
True story, before we get to the wine...I went to the same boarding school in Northeast CT, Pomfret, as the current driving force, Alex, behind Milligan Selections, the importer of this wine. Alex is founder David's son, and their portfolio is a supreme example of old-school cool.
I'll also note, as you read the following, understand that the appellation "Côtes du Rhone" exists sorta...everywhere in the Southern Rhone. And further, "village" level wines like Gigondas, Vacqueyras, etc can be de-classified into CdR territory. And sometimes that happens. And sometimes it doesn't. And often the fruit from strictly CdR plots is wonderful, period. Often this plot here will be CdR, and that right there is "X." Just want to point that out, and there's no "right way." But when you read, as you will, that an estate like Trignon has CdR holdings, their actual CdR bottlings may or may not also include fruit from parcels in their "village" parcels. This has nothing to do with the awesomeness of this wine, which is awesomely delicious and you should buy it...it's just something I wanted to clear up. French wine law is...well, very French.
"This esteemed estate has been passed on from generation to generation for more than 125 years.
Today, Florence Quiot and her brother Jean-Baptiste take a hands-on approach and dedicate themselves to continuing a tradition of the highest quality estate bottled wines. Their vineyards are spread across 6 appellations of the Southern Rhone valley; and, for all, they take the long view, often waiting years before replanting a parcel to ensure conditions in the soil are perfect for vines to thrive for 100 years or more.
The winery itself is located on the Trignon “river” (it’s a stream) dividing Sablet and Gigondas, with the buildings on the Gigondas side. This is also where the most cherished vines reside. They are lucky to have parcels from the base to the very highest altitudes of the appellation allowing them to achieve great complexity and protect each vintage from localized problems. They also have beautiful parcels in Vacqueyras, Rasteau, Sablet, Plan de Dieu, Beaumes de Venise and Côtes du Rhone.
The winery itself was upgraded to make use of gravity flow, protecting the grapes from damage, and preserving their most delicate characteristics.
The Quiot family has been working in the vineyards of the Rhône valley since at least 1748. They have a great respect for the terroir and work hard to produce rich, approachable, terroir-oriented wines which can be found in the best restaurants around the country." - David Milligan, Importer
