Rhone discovery (2) Domaine Aymard, Ventoux
Website: http://domaineaymard.fr/
When it began bottling its own wine in 1979, Domaine Aymard was one of the first private cellars in Ventoux, which had previously been exclusively about negociants and cooperatives.
Aymed had begun by farming table grapes, and then they switched to wine grapes, which they sold to the cooperative. It was when the cooperative began having difficulties that they began bottling their own wines.
Currently, the domaine is in the hands of two sisters, Anne-Laure and Carine Aymard. It was their grandfather Denis who began bottling wines, aided by his two sons Jean-Marie and Michel. Anne-Laure joined in 2011 and then Carine joined in 2019, and the two sisters began running things in 2020.
They began changing things: working more respectfully in the vineyard, and bringing in new product lines. Most notable of these was Les Grappes, a lighter-styled red with just Grenache and Cinsault in the blend. Their father didn’t understand the wine at all and questioned what they were doing. But an excellent review from Revue de Vins Français changed his mind.
The domaine has 30 hectares of vines on clay/limestone soils.
The vineyards have the most amazing cover crops I’ve seen. They use a blend of oat, rye, pea and fava bean, and at this stage of the year they are as high as the vines. They have cleared a section of the vineyard which they are about to replant, and they are planning to do agroforestry, planting vines alongside pistachio and grenadier trees, with alternating rows of vines and trees.
THE WINES
Domaine Aymard Intemporal Ventoux Blanc 2022
13% alcohol. Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Rousanne and a bit of Viognier. Fresh but textured with lovely weight to the pear and citrus fruit, showing a touch of salinity and some mineral richness. Lovely balance here with some brightness on the finish. 91/100 (Stunning value at €7.80)
Domaine Aymard Intemporal Ventoux Blanc 2023
13% alcohol. Bright and focused with some primary pear drop notes as well as lively citrus fruit, showing a hint of apricot richness and nice brightness. Good potential here. Fruity driven. 90/100
Domaine Aymard Élégance Ventoux Blanc 2022
12.5% alcohol. Same blend but spends six months in oak barrels. Nice bright fruit with lovely pear and citrus but the slight spicy oak overlay is a bit of a distraction here. It makes the wine a bit angular. Might settle down in time. 86/100 (€12.80)
Domaine Aymard Intemporal Ventoux Rosé 2023
Cinsault, Grenache and a bit of Syrah. Pale in colour. Really aromatic with bright red cherry and strawberry fruit as well as pear and citrus, and a slight creaminess. Nice precision here with a good acid line. 88/100
Domaine Aymard Intemporal Ventoux Rouge 2022
13.5% alcohol. Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah. Fresh, supple and lively with nice bright cherries and plums, showing a stony, slightly peppery edge. Massive drinkability here with some juiciness on the finish. Lovely. 90/100 (superb value at €7.80)
Domaine Aymard Les Galères Ventoux Rouge 2020
14% alcohol. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre. Fresh, supple and rounded with a nice stony, herby edge to the supple cherry and plum fruit. It’s juicy and supple and easy to drink with nice weight and balance. 90/100 (€9.80)
Domaine Aymard Rocans Ventoux Rouge 2022
13.5% alcohol. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, raised in a large tronconic vat. Lovely aromatics here with bright berries and pepper and some dried rose petal. The palate shows good concentration, some brightness and also some structure with lovely balance and focus. Elegant and layered. 93/100 (€14)
Domaine Aymard Insolence Ventoux Rouge 2020
13.5% alcohol. 80% old vine Grenache with Syrah and Mourvèdre in equal proportions. Has a tarry, spicy edge to the herb-laden cherry and berry fruits with some sweetness and also a touch of nice green. Has a twist of pepper on the finish. 91/100 (€14)
Domaine Aymard Les Grappes Ventoux Rouge 2022
14% alcohol. Grenache and Cinsault. Lighter in colour this has a lively, peppery red fruits nose with some wild strawberry. Lovely balance on the palate: peppery and bright with a sweet strawberry character but also some freshness and good acidity, with amazing drinkability. Lovely stuff with real personality, finishing with white pepper and garrigue notes. 95/100 (€18)
