The winemaking tradition in the Brunel family dates back to the 17th century, but it was 1945 when the famed négociant Gaston Brunel bought Château de la Gardine. The origin of the name “la Gardine” has been much deliberated; the château’s location overlooks the Rhône valley and suggests that it served as a watch tower, hence the French root “garde”. The name could also have come from Gardini, an aristocratic family from Entraigues and Fargues (near the city of Orange) who may have been erstwhile owners. Today the domain is run by the two sons of Gaston Brunel, Patrick and Maxime, and it stretches over 52 hectares of Châteauneuf-du-Pape vineyard. 70% of their production is exported to as many as thirty different countries. In 1998, predicting the growth of Lirac wine region, the family decided to purchase Château Saint Roch: 40 hectares offering fabulous value for money. They also lead a dynamic négociant business which promotes the diversity of the Rhône valley, thanks to Patrick Brunel’s demand for excellence and the trusting relationship he maintains with winemakers in the region. Over the years the Brunel family have made huge efforts in respect of the environment, including by encouraging biodiversity (20 hectares of forest surround the vineyards), controlled cover planting as well as using indigenous yeasts, minimal sulphite additions and technology to track and tackle disease spread.

The vines are divided over four types of soil: the round pebbles of Diluvium Alpin (which give the wine its body), the limestone of Urgonien (necessary for the minerality), brown soil and safres (for finesse and elegance). Harvesting is done by hand, in small crates and ageing lasts 9 to 14 months in vats and barriques which have held from two to six wines. This is a very aromatic wine on the nose, mainly offering aromas of violet and liquorice. On the palate, the tannins are silky yet extensive.