2019 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Grenaches de Pierre

Domaine Giraud was founded in 1974 with just four hectares of rented vines. Today it’s in the upper quality tier of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Since its establishment, the domaine has grown to some 35 hectares of vines in the appellation, as well as in Lirac and Côtes-du-Rhône. That includes some highly desirable, local real estate, notably eight hectares of La Crau, 10 hectares of extremely old vines in Les Gallimardes, and a bit in Pignan. The Girauds’ roots in Châteauneuf-du-Pape stretch back to the 1500s. In 1998, brother and sister François and Marie Giraud took over responsibility for the vineyards and winemaking from their father, Pierre. Nineteen ninety-eight was also the year the family began to estate-bottle their wines. The 2019s here are among the best wines of the vintage, and the 2018s are uniformly excellent as well. For consistency, this domaine in one of the best in the southern Rhône right now.