Meet Denis Gayte

Well, I suppose in some ways you've already met him.  He's appeared on, or been mentioned in this blog several times now, but have I ever really introduced you?

We met Denis about a year ago when he emailed us after over-hearing Tom Graisse the owner of Terroirs in Uzès talking about us and our wine.  It turns out that Denis also has vineyards here, and he too, makes Côtes du Rhône.  What a coincidence.  We've met or heard of other Americans, Brits, Belgians, you name it, who make wine in the area, but most are my parents age, not mine, so it was fun to meet someone our age doing the same thing.

Denis grew up in Seattle, but his father is originally from Avignon, and he still has lots of family in the area.  Once he finished college he decided to come to Europe for awhile, ski, meet some of his relatives and see where life led him.  Well eventually it led him to a village not far from here called Saint Pons la Calm.  Here he decided to take over the farming side of some family vineyards that had passed into his father's hands through inheritance.  So, Denis started farming the grapes and selling them to the local cooperative.  In 2002 he got the bug to make his own wine and bought 12 hectares of vineyards in Domazan, a village about 15 minutes from Avignon, on some exquisite terroir, similar to that of Châteauneuf du Pape.  He's got 24 parcels!! Can you imagine that?  I think it's hard with four!  He then found a small "cave" or winery to buy in the village and started his eponymous winery.  All by himself, no help, no employees, only his dad, when he comes over twice a year to give him a hand.  (Then he got smart and convinced his fiancé Kirsten to move over here. Now she helps out too!)  You think what we did was brave?  Denis has way more courage than we do!!  He's out there working his tail off every day to farm the vineyards, make the wine and then sell it too!!

The other day I met Denis at his vineyards and he gave me a tour.  It's a breathtakingly beautiful area, with at least three distinctly different terroirs; one like the afore mentioned Châteauneuf  terroir with galets roulés, another more sandy and well-drained soil and finally one with lots of the typical red clay we find in the region.  He has just about every varietal you can imagine, grenache, syrah, carignan, cinsault, mourvèdre, clairette, roussanne, grenache blanc, and even some picpoul gris!  His wines are blends of all of these grapes, depending on the appellation; Côtes du Rhône or Côtes du Rhône Villages, and of course the white Côtes du Rhône.   We tasted his 2005 Villages which is about to be bottled, it's a beauty and there's not much of it.  The 2006 which is still in tank, is great!  Fresh, pretty fruit, that typically 2006 forward, style with a touch of brambly spice. Delicious!!

Since he is from Seattle, lots of his wine goes to Washington. It is available through Cavatappi Distribuzione, which is the wholesaler.   If you live in the Seattle area you can contact them to find out where to buy Denis Gayte wines, the 2004 Côtes du Rhône "Cuvée Harmonie" is currently available and is drinking really well right now.  Or you can email Denis to find out where else his wines are sold.