Beaumes-de-Venise exploration: Domaine Saint Amant
Website: https://www.domainesaintamant.com/en/
Domaine Saint Amant is located high up at 600 m, with 32 hectares of vines scattered around the village of Suzette. The winery was founded by Jacques Wallut in 1992: he’d previously started a technology business, but had to retire at 65 (company rules). So he bought vines in Suzette, but many of the parcels were in bad condition. He pulled them out and planted what he wanted.
I met with Eloïse Nosworthy (pictured), his granddaughter, who now runs the domaine with her mother. The first vintage of Amant was 1995, and her mother became involved in 1996, when she returned from the USA with her English investment banker husband.
Eloïse had decided she’d never be involved, and was working in corporate communications and jewelry making in London. When Covid arrived in 2020, she moved to France and got stuck in with the vintage that year.
They have 6 hectares of white vines, of which 95% are Viognier, a speciality of theirs.
Domaine Saint Amant Barry Viognier 2024 Côtes du Rhône Blanc, France
This is 95% Viognier and 5% Roussanne from 600 m altitude. Textural and fresh with nice brightness. Light and expressive with a hint of pear and apricot. Very expressive for a Viognier. 93/100
Domaine Saint Amant Carlina 2024 Côtes du Rhône Blanc, France
Clairette, Roussanne and Grenache Blanc from Beaumes-de-Venise, at altitude. Juicy, textural, grainy and crystalline with nice freshness, as well as a slight saltiness. Nice presence to this wine. 94/100
Domaine Saint Amant Grangeneuve Beaumes de Venise 2021
14.5% alcohol. This comes from 500 m, and it’s a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Carignan and Viognier. Lively and fresh with some sweet berry fruits as well as wet stone minerality and wild herbs and pepper. Beginning to develop and mellow a little, this is getting a little wild in a good way. 92/100
Domaine Saint Amant Cuvée Nathalie Syrah 2020
14.5% alcohol. 95% Syrah, 5% Viognier. This is sweetly aromatic with apricot, cherry and pepper notes, and then some warm, sweet, stewed strawberry on the palate. Softening and losing definition with age, it’s very appealing but I suspect it would have been a bit brighter and more focused younger. 91/100
Domaine Saint Amant Bonelli Beaumes de Venise 2024
14% alcohol. Organic. 80% Grenache, 20% Syrah. Juicy, vivid, supple cherry and raspberry fruit with some nice herbal hints. There’s a massive drinkability and freshness to this wine which has a lovely hint of wildness, while staying fully correct! This is really good. 94/100
BEAUMES-DE-VENISE
- Introduction
- Petitjean family: Domaine de Cassan and Château Les Croix des Pins
- Xavier Vignon
- Domaine La Ligière
- Domaine Saint Amant
- Domaine de la Ferme Saint-Martin
- Domaine Raboly
- Rhonea
- Domaine de Durban
- Domaine De Fenouillet
- Domaine Saint Roch
- Domaine Les Bernardins
- A big tasting of Beaumes-de-Venise wines
