1874. The first buildings. Six generations have succeeded one another at Domaine Santa Duc and each in turn has contributed to the building of this Gigondas vineyard, renowned since the Gallo-Roman era for its red wines of character. Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah and Cinsault are all noble grape varieties that the Gras family strives to develop.
1985. Yves Gras takes over from his father Edmond and gives a new international dimension to the wines of the estate with their abundant ripe fruit, wild herbs and great length. Soon Robert Parker wrote: "Santa Duc combines the muscle, richness and fire of a classic Gigondas with a degree of elegance and purity that many of the wines of this appellation lack. In 2005, the book "Les plus grands domaines au monde" by the same author, published by Simon & Chuster, highlighted the long history and unique character of the Domaine's wines. The cuvée "Les Hautes Garrigues", from one of the best vineyards in the region, located on the Gigondas plateau, became an iconic wine. This wine reveals an immediately recognisable expression of the Garrigue terroir and a distinctive minerality drawn from the incredibly stony clay soils. Yves Gras' vision, as piercing as that of the bird of prey from which the estate's name was taken (the name 'Santa Duc' refers to the Great Horned Owl that lives in the region), takes him further and further afield. Continuing his search for fresh terroirs conducive to the production of great wines, he acquired magnificent plots of land in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, in the Crau area.
1994. Yves Gras embarks on a new project. He rehabilitates and develops a forgotten Clos, magnificently situated above the church and the hospices of the village of Gigondas: the Clos Derrière Vieille. For Benjamin, who is taking over the reins of the estate, one thing is certain: if the soils and exposure differ between this Clos en monopole and "Les Hautes Garrigues", the philosophy remains, of course, the same. Massal selections, biodynamic cultivation, whole harvests, fermentation with indigenous yeasts, minimal intervention, bottling without filtration...
This unique know-how, which can also be found on the Châteauneuf-du-Pape parcels - La Crau Ouest, Les Saintes Vierges, Le Pied de Baud, Habemus Papam - allows Benjamin to reveal the fundamental characteristics of a great wine: balance, elegance, purity and depth. This is obvious for a family of winemakers born at the foot of the Dentelles de Montmirail, whose splendour and natural beauty are a daily source of creative inspiration.
Information about Santa Duc