Domaine de la Mordorée - Lirac and Châteauneuf
Started in 1986 by the Delorme brothers, Domaine de la Mordorée (woodcock) has become one of the top estates in the Rhône, with arguably the most consistent quality. Christophe Delorme's objective as a winemaker is to be unintrusive and maintain total respect for his terroir and the fruit it produces, striving to achieve a perfect balance between concentration, terroir and a feeling of unforced equilibrium in the wines.
The domaine consists of 60 hectares, on 38 different parcels, providing a wide range of soils and climates. They practice culture raisonnée, with minimum intervention in the vineyards, and as close as possible organic viticulture. Christophe's approach is so raisonnée that he has in fact pulled back from being fully organic (which the estate was, for over twelve years) because he was worried about the long-term effect of putting too much copper (in the form of copper suphate, a permitted treatment in organic viticulture) onto his vineyards.
The Chateauneuf is in high demand and may have to be allocated. Buyers taking other wines will take preference.