This husband and wife team's debut vintage is only 1990. Previously, this estate sold its production to Guigal and Jaboulet, among others. In the most northern sector of the southern Rhone, Philippe and Michelle Laurent organically farm a 37-acre vineyard. A walk through the Laurents' vineyard shows low yields and incredibly old vines, with one parcel of Grenache more than a century old. Some of the most sumptuous and compelling Cotes du Rhone wines are made here and bottled by hand with no fining or filtration. The commitment to quality is shown in his extremely-strict criteria - less than 50% of his production finds its way into the different cuvees. This estate is one that whiffs of traditional winemaking practices. No high-tech equipment is used in its damp cellars. No sulfur is used, except for an extremely low touch at bottling and everything is fermented with indigenous yeast. Totally organic.

"This wine is a noteworthy Cotes du Rhone that is reasonably priced for such high quality. Among the most natural wines made in France, it is bottled with neither fining nor filtration, and possess high levels of CO2 because the SO2 levels are extremely low. As the sign on the winery says, it is "vin du raisin," and is uncommonly natural, which is Gramenon's guiding philosophy. This is the wine of a rogue genius in the northern, colder terroirs of the southern Rhone Valley. It is not to be missed.
" Robert Parker

Cotes du Rhone Villages Vinsorbe
2000 $14.99 very limited
1999 $14.99 very limited

Cotes du Rhone
2001 $12.99 very limited

Cotes du Rhone la Sagesse
2002 $28.99 limited
2000 $17.99 very limited

Cotes du Rhone Laurentide
2001 $15.99 available

Syrah
2000 $14.99

Cotes du Rhone Viognier
2000 $15.99

Michelle Laurent, owner