Our Growers:

Frederic & Francois Alary

Domaine de l'Oratoire de St Martin

Winegrowers for 300 years and 10 generations, Frédéric and François Alary are brothers have worked together at the Domaine de l'Oratoire St Martin since 1984. The domaine has 25 hectares on the hillsides of St Martin, where the oratory built in the middle of the vines gave its name to the domaine. The majority of the vines are located northeast of the commune of Cairanne in a rocky yellow clay on the surface and a blue clay further down with an important percentage of active limestone. The white cépages and the syrah are planted at Les Douves and the other cépages are planted in St. Martin with a south to southwest exposure favoring maturity and aromatic richness. Haut-Coustias is part of the St Martin plantings.

The strength of the domaine is its large percentage of old vines, some of which are more than 100 years old. The philosophy of the 2 brothers is simple: "To improve always and forever the quality of the vines and to never become managers but to stay winegrowers. When one is passionate, this is the best occupation in the world." The old vines are conserved even if their yield is very low. Replantings are done with selection massale; the last replanting was done with syrah taken from the wines of the Domaine Clusel-Roch in the Côte-Rotie.

Terroir is the passion of the Alary brothers. The vines are worked naturally without pesticides or chemical fertilizers (the domaine will be Eco-certified in 2009, at the end of a 3-year process), the harvest is manual with a first sorting by the harvesters and a second sorting at a table de trie. Vinifcation is done in foudres with pigeage for the Haut Coustias rouge and in closed barrels with stirring for the Côtes-du-Rhônes. Robert Parker wrote that this domaine "is one of the southern Rhone Valley's most conspicuous overachievers, making wines that are far above their humble appellations...This is the type of estate that brings smiles to consumers who happen upon their wines. They are reasonably priced and qualitatively equivalent to wines selling at two or three times the price."

The Côtes-du-Rhône rouge is a powerful and rich red, with supple

tannins and rich fruit. It is made of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah from vines that are 10-15 years old. The wine is aged 6 months in vat, is fined with egg whites, and receives no filtration. The nose is characterized by red fruits, black currant and raspberries; in the mouth, it is spicy and peppery with a long finish.

The Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages White Cairanne Haut-Coustias is a soft, lush, intense wine. It proves that you can make excellent whites on terroir reputed for its reds. It is made of 50% Marsanne, 40% Rousanne and 10% Viognier from vines that are 45 years old. The wine ferments in vat without yeast and then ages 10 months in demi-muids. In the nose, this wine shows nuances of pear, quince, and white flowers. In the mouth, it tastes of grilled almonds and is very fat and long.

The Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages Red Cairanne Haut Coustias : 60% Mourvèdre, 20% Syrah, 20% Grenache from vines that are 65 years old. Maceration lasts 18 days and is aged for 24 months in foudres with no fining and no filtration. The nose is characterized by red fruits, black currant and raspberries; in the mouth. In the mouth, it is spicy and peppery with roasting aromas.

The Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages Cairanne Cuvée Prestige : A medium-bodied wine that is gamy and earthy but with sweet, ripe fruit and tannins. It is made of 60% Grenache, 40% Mourvèdre and is from 98 year old vines. It is vinified by pigeage for 15 days and then aged for 12 months in vat. It is bottled without fining or filtration. In the nose, the wine has red fruits, leather and musk. In the mouth, it is spicy, peppery and has notes of licorice.

The Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages Cairanne Réserve des Seigneurs rouge: An elegant and refined, medium-bodied wine with smooth tannins, this wine is made of 60% Grenache, 10% Syrah and 30% Mourvèdre. The vines are 50 years old. The wine is vinified by pigeage for 12 days and then aged for 9 months in vat; it is bottled without fining or filtration. The nose is characterized by red fruits, leather and tobacco; in the mouth, it is spicy and peppery with ripe tannins. This wine demonstrates the Alary signature of elegance and finesse.

The Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages Cairanne Réserve des Seigneurs white: Formerly the Cotes du Rhone white, this wine is a blend of 50% Clairette and 50% Roussanne. On the palate, it is dry with a fresh, lively finish. .

The P'tit Martin is a light wine perfect with pizza, picnics, or delicatessen type meats. This is a wine meant to be drunk young before its fruitiness disappears. It is 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah and comes from young vines. There is no filtration of this wine.

Domaine's webpage: http://oratoiresaintmartin.fr



	Our Growers: Frederic & Francois Alary Domaine de l'Oratoire de St Martin
	Winegrowers for 300 years and 10 generations, Frédéric and François Alary are brothers have worked together at the Domaine de l'Oratoire St Martin since 1984. The domaine has 25 hectares on the hillsides of St Martin, where the oratory built in the middle of the vines gave its name to the domaine. The majority of the vines are located northeast of the commune of Cairanne in a rocky yellow clay on the surface and a blue clay further down with an important percentage of active limestone. The white cépages and the syrah are planted at Les Douves and the other cépages are planted in St. Martin with a south to southwest exposure favoring maturity and aromatic richness. Haut-Coustias is part of the St Martin plantings. The strength of the domaine is its large percentage of old vines, some of which are more than 100 years old. The philosophy of the 2 brothers is simple: "To improve always and forever the quality of the vines and to never become managers but to stay winegrowers. When one is passionate, this is the best occupation in the world." The old vines are conserved even if their yield is very low. Replantings are done with selection massale; the last replanting was done with syrah taken from the wines of the Domaine Clusel-Roch in the Côte-Rotie. Terroir is the passion of the Alary brothers. The vines are worked naturally without pesticides or chemical fertilizers (the domaine will be Eco-certified in 2009, at the end of a 3-year process), the harvest is manual with a first sorting by the harvesters and a second sorting at a table de trie. Vinifcation is done in foudres with pigeage for the Haut Coustias rouge and in closed barrels with stirring for the Côtes-du-Rhônes. Robert Parker wrote that this domaine "is one of the southern Rhone Valley's most conspicuous overachievers, making wines that are far above their humble appellations...This is the type of estate that brings smiles to consumers who happen upon their wines. They are reasonably priced and qualitatively equivalent to wines selling at two or three times the price." The Côtes-du-Rhône rouge is a powerful and rich red, with supple
	tannins and rich fruit. It is made of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah from vines that are 10-15 years old. The wine is aged 6 months in vat, is fined with egg whites, and receives no filtration. The nose is characterized by red fruits, black currant and raspberries; in the mouth, it is spicy and peppery with a long finish. The Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages White Cairanne Haut-Coustias is a soft, lush, intense wine. It proves that you can make excellent whites on terroir reputed for its reds. It is made of 50% Marsanne, 40% Rousanne and 10% Viognier from vines that are 45 years old. The wine ferments in vat without yeast and then ages 10 months in demi-muids. In the nose, this wine shows nuances of pear, quince, and white flowers. In the mouth, it tastes of grilled almonds and is very fat and long. The Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages Red Cairanne Haut Coustias : 60% Mourvèdre, 20% Syrah, 20% Grenache from vines that are 65 years old. Maceration lasts 18 days and is aged for 24 months in foudres with no fining and no filtration. The nose is characterized by red fruits, black currant and raspberries; in the mouth. In the mouth, it is spicy and peppery with roasting aromas. The Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages Cairanne Cuvée Prestige : A medium-bodied wine that is gamy and earthy but with sweet, ripe fruit and tannins. It is made of 60% Grenache, 40% Mourvèdre and is from 98 year old vines. It is vinified by pigeage for 15 days and then aged for 12 months in vat. It is bottled without fining or filtration. In the nose, the wine has red fruits, leather and musk. In the mouth, it is spicy, peppery and has notes of licorice. The Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages Cairanne Réserve des Seigneurs rouge: An elegant and refined, medium-bodied wine with smooth tannins, this wine is made of 60% Grenache, 10% Syrah and 30% Mourvèdre. The vines are 50 years old. The wine is vinified by pigeage for 12 days and then aged for 9 months in vat; it is bottled without fining or filtration. The nose is characterized by red fruits, leather and tobacco; in the mouth, it is spicy and peppery with ripe tannins. This wine demonstrates the Alary signature of elegance and finesse. The Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages Cairanne Réserve des Seigneurs white: Formerly the Cotes du Rhone white, this wine is a blend of 50% Clairette and 50% Roussanne. On the palate, it is dry with a fresh, lively finish. . The P'tit Martin is a light wine perfect with pizza, picnics, or delicatessen type meats. This is a wine meant to be drunk young before its fruitiness disappears. It is 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah and comes from young vines. There is no filtration of this wine. Domaine's webpage: http://oratoiresaintmartin.fr