Beaumes-de-Venise exploration: Domaine De Fenouillet
Website: https://domaine-fenouillet.fr/
I visited with Justine and Valentin Soard, who are cousins. Domaine de Fenouillet was created in 1989 by Justine’s father, and Vincent arrived two years later. They have 35 hectares of vines, split over 8 communes, which have been farmed organically since 2012. We spent some time in the vineyards on the slopes below
Most of the soils here are the Terres Blanches, but they also have some sandy soils, too. As well as Beaumes-de-Venise they also make Ventoux and Vacqueyras.
Domaine de Fenouillet Oversant Blanc 2024 IGP Vaucluse
50% Mucat, 50% Viognier. Fresh and brighy with grapey aromatics showing nice prescision, finishing dry. Lively and bright with some spiciness on the finish. 89/100
Domaine de Fenouillet Beaumes de Venise Yvon Soard 2021
50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre in the dentelles (7 hectares in Suzette and 2 hectares in Roc Alaric), argile calcaire soils. Destemmed, then concrete tanks. Nice weight and density with sweet cherries and plums. Fleshy, a bit meaty, and spicy with nice definition and some tannin. Has good acidity and brightness. 94/100
Domaine de Fenouillet Quand vin le Soard 2019
40% Syrah, 35% Mourvèdre, 25% Grenache. Don’t make this cuvée every year. Vinified in concrete tank then 18 months in older oak barrels, then another six months in concrete. This is rich and intense with some spicy structure and a bit of grip, showing nice lush fruit. Vivid, dense and quite structural with nice richness, showing lovely depth and a bit of lushness to the fruit. 93/100
Domaine de Fenouillet Muscat de Beaumes de Venise 2024
This is rich and intense with pear and peach fruit as well as table grapes, showing nice melony richness and a hint of mint. Rich and quite intense, but stays fresh. Lovely fruity depth to this wine. 93/100
Domaine de Fenouillet Terres Blanches Beaumes de Venise 2023
14.5% alcohol. Organic. 50% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre. Bright and with nice energy, but also some meaty, spicy depth. Shows sweet cherry and berry fruit with nice intensity and a bit of grip on the finish. Lots of presence here. 93/100
Domaine de Fenouillet Muscat de Beaumes de Venise Rosé 2025
20% red muscat, macerated for a few hours in the press. Pale pink colour. Lively, bright and fruity with some mandarin and a touch of cherry with sweetness but also freshness. Has a delicious presence to it, showing some complexity but with the emphasis firmly on the fruit. 93/100
Domaine de Fenouillet Muscat de Beaumes de Venise Rouge 2025
This is really distinctive with some spice from skin maceration (8-10 days), as well as a bit of cherry fruit. So expressive and nicely complex, with sweetness as well as fruitiness and a bit of structure. Quite refined with a hint of almond and liquourice, finishing fresh. Very stylish. 94/100
Domaine du Fenouillet Muscat de Beaumes de Venise Sélection Ancestrale 2023
15% alcohol. 10% red Muscat. Full golden colour. Complex, spicy and layered with lovely depth, a hint of structure, and nice apple, pear and table grape characters. Good concentration and depth here, showing real interest. 94/100
