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The Château Gigognan estate produces wines on iconic appellations of worldwide renown, and extends over 110 hectares: 40 hectares in AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape (one of the most reputed designations of the Rhône Valley), as well as Côtes-du-Rhône Villages Signargues, Côtes-du-Rhône Villages and Côtes-du-Rhône.

Photo allée de vigne avec le château en fond

The vines

Since the first varietals planted almost 800 years ago by the monks, generations of winegrowers have devoted their know-how to the vines and wine by cultivating this exceptional terroir with passion. Our estate is the tenth largest property in surface area in the region, covering 110 hectares, with three big zones around the château and 40 hectares in AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape including 10 new hectares of top-quality terroirs purchased in 2019 from the famous Maison Jaboulet.
Loyal to the specifications of the appellation which allow us to make wine from 13 different varietals, our terroirs interact with a mosaic of grape varieties. For red, Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault give the estate, and its wines, an inimitable character! Some, like the Carignan grapes in AOC Signargues, growing on ancient vines, make for very special wines.
For white, Grenache, Roussane, Marsanne, Clairette, Viognier and Bourboulenc complete this unique wealth of varietals in the world of French AOCs.

The terroir

Our vineyard surrounded by rolling hills flourishes in a clay-limestone soil that is perfect for viticulture. Between singularity and generosity, the terroir of Gigognan is blessed with sun and wind, groves and hedges, paths and low stone walls, and above all the famous rounded pebbles that the river Rhône carried here from the Alps in the quaternary era.
These large, eroded and polished pebbles, which can form a layer several metres deep, mingle with the sand and clays and are an ideal terroir for vines because the stones capture the heat of the sun during the day and return it to the earth during the night, allowing the grapes to reach a high degree of ripeness.
Furthermore, like the technique of laying down straw in a garden, the pebbles preserve the soil from evaporation which helps to ensure good maturity during the hottest summer months.

The appellations

CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE

At 120 metres above sea level, the territory of AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape is situated halfway between two historical cities, Avignon and Orange. This prestigious appellation, the first AOC in France, extends along the left bank of the river Rhône on a series of plateaus covered with rounded pebbles, which resist the dryness of the Mediterranean climate and the Mistral wind. In Châteauneuf-du-Pape, tradition dictates that the wines are made from thirteen varietals, each bringing its characteristic to the ensemble: colour, structure, bouquet, freshness or longevity.

 

SIGNARGUES CÔTES-DU-RHÔNE VILLAGES

The most southern wine growing area of the Côtes-du-Rhône Villages denomination, between Avignon and the Pont du Gard. The appellation Signargues concerns only red wines. Growing on a former bed of the river Rhône, the vines flourish in one of the region’s most noble terroirs. The river deposited rounded pebbles here, reddened by the iron oxide. The vines here produce great red wines and the abundance of ‘garrigue’ scrubland brings them very characteristic aromas of undergrowth and dark fruits.

photo paysage vigne premier plan
photo pied de vigne

Winegrowing

For many years now, the entire vineyard has been tended with respect for the natural rhythms of the terroir and according to organic agricultural principles. Given that the highest standards always lead to excellence, the estate is progressively integrating little touches of biodynamic agriculture to give the very best to the vines and the earth. The vineyard is worked with thoroughness and precision on a daily basis, as shown, for example, by the cereals grown between the rows of vines to offer them a protective cover of vegetation, one of the particularities of the estate.

Winemaking and ageing in the cellar

All the winemaking stages are performed with constant dialogue between all the team members and respect for the highest level of quality. Without breaking with tradition, the estate has gradually adapted to the latest technical advances in oenology and adds to that the work of an expert team. Our new cellar is the result of a lengthy study of the technical, environmental and aesthetic aspects, and now boasts the very best equipment. The building of 1500 sq. metres offers a vat room and an ageing cellar, and has been up and running since the 2019 harvest.
The structure is completed by an integrated treatment plant to deal with all the effluents produced by the estate’s winemaking facilities.