Montirius 2020 Le Cadet IGP Vaucluse Red Wine 60% Grenache 40% Syrah 65 Year Old Vines Certified Biodynamic No Oak Cement Vat Southern Rhone France 750ml
Montirius 2020 Le Cadet IGP Vaucluse Red Wine 60% Grenache 40% Syrah 65 Year Old Vines Certified Biodynamic No Oak Cement Vat Southern Rhone France 750ml
Le Cadet means "the youngest brother" — and Domaine Montirius uses the name with deliberate affection. This is the wine that sits below the domaine's celebrated Gigondas Renaissance, Vacqueyras, and Côtes du Rhône expressions in the hierarchy, produced from a single seven-hectare parcel on the banks of the Ouvèze river in Sarrians at the southern tip of the Vacqueyras appellation. Its IGP Vaucluse designation places it outside the prestige appellation system — but as every importer who has worked with this wine consistently notes, Le Cadet has nothing to envy from a good Côtes du Rhône. It simply grows where it grows and carries the same Montirius philosophy — the same biodynamic farming, the same no-oak cement vat vinification, the same six generations of Saurel family care — as every other bottle in the range.
The foundation is genuinely impressive for an IGP wine: 65-year-old Grenache and Syrah vines whose root systems have spent decades exploring the diverse Sarrians soil mosaic of garrigue, blue clay marls, sand, and sandstone. Old vines at this age, regardless of appellation designation, produce concentrated, low-yield fruit of a character younger plantings cannot approach. The 2020 vintage on the southern Rhône delivered warm, concentrated growing conditions producing wines of vivid fruit intensity and lively freshness — and Le Cadet received those conditions on vines that were fully equipped to translate them into the glass.
The result is what Piedmont Wine Imports described as "very pretty slightly spicy dark fruit aromas" with a "cool dark mouthfeel" — fresh, fruited, biodynamically clean, and built to be enjoyed rather than contemplated. This is the bottle you open on a Tuesday because life is too short for mediocre wine on a Tuesday.
Origins & Craftsmanship
Domaine Montirius — the first estate to achieve biodynamic certification in both the Gigondas and Vacqueyras appellations, a distinction it has held since 1999 — farms 63 hectares across the southern Rhône Valley under the stewardship of Christine and Eric Saurel and their daughters Manon and Justine, now representing the sixth generation of the family to farm the Sarrians plateau. The family's biodynamic philosophy is total and unconditional: no synthetic chemistry, cover crops between vine rows, polyculture including ancient fruit trees and aromatic plants woven through the vineyard, and farming decisions guided by lunar cycles and biodynamic principles applied across every hectare without exception.
Le Cadet is sourced from a single seven-hectare parcel that the domaine describes as the "baby brother" of its prestigious appellations — 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah planted on vines over 65 years of age on the banks of the Ouvèze river, in the commune of Sarrians at the southern edge of the Vacqueyras zone. The soil mosaic across the parcel — garrigue, blue clay marls, sand, and sandstone — produces the diversity of mineral expression and terroir character that makes even an entry-level Montirius wine more interesting than most of its peers. Yields are limited to 30 hectoliters per hectare — a conservative ceiling that ensures the old vines' natural concentration is preserved rather than diluted by excessive production.
Winemaking follows the no-oak philosophy that defines every Montirius red: indigenous yeast fermentation, cool-mouthfeel extraction, and exclusive aging in unlined cement vats for 6 to 12 months before bottling. The cement vats — the same philosophy applied across the entire Montirius range — preserve the fruit's natural character and the biodynamic vineyard's living energy without the oak influence that would soften or obscure either. The result is a wine of unusual freshness, purity, and direct fruit expression for its category. 28,000 bottles produced.
Critics Reviews
There are no widely published numeric scores from Wine Spectator, Wine Advocate, Vinous, or Decanter available for the 2020 Le Cadet specifically. Wine-Searcher aggregates "several important critics have rated this IGP Vaucluse wine highly" across vintages. The wine's reputation is built on consistent importer endorsement — Piedmont Wine Imports describes it as a former "staple in shops" and notes "very pretty slightly spicy dark fruit aromas" with "really good, cool fruit on the palate." The Montirius brand's broader critical standing — the first biodynamic certified estate in Gigondas and Vacqueyras, with recognition from Jancis Robinson and the French biodynamic wine world — provides the relevant context for a wine priced and positioned as the domaine's accessible everyday expression.
Tasting Profile
Nose Fresh, vibrant, and immediately expressive — Le Cadet's youthful, fruit-forward character arriving with clean directness. Bright red cherry leads confidently alongside red fruits and a vivid floral lift, followed by dark fruit — plum and blackberry — that adds depth beneath the brighter top notes. A very pretty spicy character emerges quickly: the Syrah's influence detectable as a thread of northern-style pepper and flint — cool, mineral, and slightly resinous — that adds an aromatic complexity above what the appellation designation might suggest. Garrigue herbs and wild thyme thread gently through the whole, rooting the nose in the southern Rhône landscape without heaviness. The biodynamic farming's cleanness is detectable in the precision and purity of the fruit aromatics — no muddiness, no reduction, just direct vineyard expression.
Palate Cool, fresh, and supple — the no-oak cement vat vinification immediately apparent in the wine's lively, unencumbered fruit character. Bright red cherry and fresh dark fruit arrive first with genuine vivacity, followed by the Syrah's spicy, slightly peppery contribution that gives Le Cadet its distinctive "slightly spicy dark fruit" personality. Fine, elegant tannins provide structure without grip — the 65-year-old vine concentration present in the density of the fruit rather than in any sense of extraction or weight. Blue clay marl minerality and a light stony quality thread through the mid-palate — a cool, refreshing mineral presence that is distinctly Sarrians in character. The mouthfeel is what the domaine consistently achieves across every expression: cool, fresh, and deeply satisfying — a quality that only biodynamic farming and no-oak vinification together produce with this consistency.
Finish Clean, medium in length, and refreshingly dry. Red fruit and the Syrah's spiced pepper carry the close together before the mineral freshness of the terroir takes over — a cool, slightly stony fade that leaves the palate clean and immediately ready for the next sip or the next bite of food. The finish is Le Cadet's most Montirius-characteristic quality: precise, direct, and unapologetically alive.
Quick Overview
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Appellation | IGP Vaucluse, Southern Rhône Valley, France |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Producer | Domaine Montirius — Saurel Family, 6th generation |
| Cuvée | Le Cadet — "the youngest brother" |
| Vineyard | Single 7-hectare parcel — Sarrians, banks of the Ouvèze river |
| Vine Age | 65+ years — Grenache and Syrah |
| Blend | 60% Grenache · 40% Syrah |
| Soils | Garrigue, blue clay marls, sand, sandstone |
| Yield | Limited to 30 hl/ha |
| Farming | Certified Biodynamic — Biodyvin 1999 · First biodynamic estate in Gigondas & Vacqueyras |
| Fermentation | Indigenous yeasts |
| Aging | 6–12 months — unlined cement vats only, no oak |
| Bottles Produced | 28,000 |
| Style / Identity | Biodynamic IGP Vaucluse — fresh, fruited, spicy, no-oak purity |
| Aromas & Flavors | Bright red cherry, dark fruit, red berry, Syrah pepper, flint, garrigue, thyme, mineral |
| Drink Window | Now through 2026 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
Serving & Occasion
Best served slightly cool at 15–16°C — Le Cadet's freshness and bright fruit character are most vivid with a slight chill that amplifies the mineral and red fruit notes. No decanting required — open and pour. A quintessential everyday food wine: outstanding alongside roasted lamb, game meats, grilled duck, wild mushroom dishes, vegetable lasagna, herb-roasted chicken, aged goat cheese, and any Mediterranean preparation featuring thyme, rosemary, or garlic. The name says it all: this is the bottle you open because the occasion deserves good wine but doesn't require ceremony. Drink from now through 2025–2026 for peak fruit freshness.
Original: $20.00
-65%$20.00
$7.00Montirius 2020 Le Cadet IGP Vaucluse Red Wine 60% Grenache 40% Syrah 65 Year Old Vines Certified Biodynamic No Oak Cement Vat Southern Rhone France 750ml
Le Cadet means "the youngest brother" — and Domaine Montirius uses the name with deliberate affection. This is the wine that sits below the domaine's celebrated Gigondas Renaissance, Vacqueyras, and Côtes du Rhône expressions in the hierarchy, produced from a single seven-hectare parcel on the banks of the Ouvèze river in Sarrians at the southern tip of the Vacqueyras appellation. Its IGP Vaucluse designation places it outside the prestige appellation system — but as every importer who has worked with this wine consistently notes, Le Cadet has nothing to envy from a good Côtes du Rhône. It simply grows where it grows and carries the same Montirius philosophy — the same biodynamic farming, the same no-oak cement vat vinification, the same six generations of Saurel family care — as every other bottle in the range.
The foundation is genuinely impressive for an IGP wine: 65-year-old Grenache and Syrah vines whose root systems have spent decades exploring the diverse Sarrians soil mosaic of garrigue, blue clay marls, sand, and sandstone. Old vines at this age, regardless of appellation designation, produce concentrated, low-yield fruit of a character younger plantings cannot approach. The 2020 vintage on the southern Rhône delivered warm, concentrated growing conditions producing wines of vivid fruit intensity and lively freshness — and Le Cadet received those conditions on vines that were fully equipped to translate them into the glass.
The result is what Piedmont Wine Imports described as "very pretty slightly spicy dark fruit aromas" with a "cool dark mouthfeel" — fresh, fruited, biodynamically clean, and built to be enjoyed rather than contemplated. This is the bottle you open on a Tuesday because life is too short for mediocre wine on a Tuesday.
Origins & Craftsmanship
Domaine Montirius — the first estate to achieve biodynamic certification in both the Gigondas and Vacqueyras appellations, a distinction it has held since 1999 — farms 63 hectares across the southern Rhône Valley under the stewardship of Christine and Eric Saurel and their daughters Manon and Justine, now representing the sixth generation of the family to farm the Sarrians plateau. The family's biodynamic philosophy is total and unconditional: no synthetic chemistry, cover crops between vine rows, polyculture including ancient fruit trees and aromatic plants woven through the vineyard, and farming decisions guided by lunar cycles and biodynamic principles applied across every hectare without exception.
Le Cadet is sourced from a single seven-hectare parcel that the domaine describes as the "baby brother" of its prestigious appellations — 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah planted on vines over 65 years of age on the banks of the Ouvèze river, in the commune of Sarrians at the southern edge of the Vacqueyras zone. The soil mosaic across the parcel — garrigue, blue clay marls, sand, and sandstone — produces the diversity of mineral expression and terroir character that makes even an entry-level Montirius wine more interesting than most of its peers. Yields are limited to 30 hectoliters per hectare — a conservative ceiling that ensures the old vines' natural concentration is preserved rather than diluted by excessive production.
Winemaking follows the no-oak philosophy that defines every Montirius red: indigenous yeast fermentation, cool-mouthfeel extraction, and exclusive aging in unlined cement vats for 6 to 12 months before bottling. The cement vats — the same philosophy applied across the entire Montirius range — preserve the fruit's natural character and the biodynamic vineyard's living energy without the oak influence that would soften or obscure either. The result is a wine of unusual freshness, purity, and direct fruit expression for its category. 28,000 bottles produced.
Critics Reviews
There are no widely published numeric scores from Wine Spectator, Wine Advocate, Vinous, or Decanter available for the 2020 Le Cadet specifically. Wine-Searcher aggregates "several important critics have rated this IGP Vaucluse wine highly" across vintages. The wine's reputation is built on consistent importer endorsement — Piedmont Wine Imports describes it as a former "staple in shops" and notes "very pretty slightly spicy dark fruit aromas" with "really good, cool fruit on the palate." The Montirius brand's broader critical standing — the first biodynamic certified estate in Gigondas and Vacqueyras, with recognition from Jancis Robinson and the French biodynamic wine world — provides the relevant context for a wine priced and positioned as the domaine's accessible everyday expression.
Tasting Profile
Nose Fresh, vibrant, and immediately expressive — Le Cadet's youthful, fruit-forward character arriving with clean directness. Bright red cherry leads confidently alongside red fruits and a vivid floral lift, followed by dark fruit — plum and blackberry — that adds depth beneath the brighter top notes. A very pretty spicy character emerges quickly: the Syrah's influence detectable as a thread of northern-style pepper and flint — cool, mineral, and slightly resinous — that adds an aromatic complexity above what the appellation designation might suggest. Garrigue herbs and wild thyme thread gently through the whole, rooting the nose in the southern Rhône landscape without heaviness. The biodynamic farming's cleanness is detectable in the precision and purity of the fruit aromatics — no muddiness, no reduction, just direct vineyard expression.
Palate Cool, fresh, and supple — the no-oak cement vat vinification immediately apparent in the wine's lively, unencumbered fruit character. Bright red cherry and fresh dark fruit arrive first with genuine vivacity, followed by the Syrah's spicy, slightly peppery contribution that gives Le Cadet its distinctive "slightly spicy dark fruit" personality. Fine, elegant tannins provide structure without grip — the 65-year-old vine concentration present in the density of the fruit rather than in any sense of extraction or weight. Blue clay marl minerality and a light stony quality thread through the mid-palate — a cool, refreshing mineral presence that is distinctly Sarrians in character. The mouthfeel is what the domaine consistently achieves across every expression: cool, fresh, and deeply satisfying — a quality that only biodynamic farming and no-oak vinification together produce with this consistency.
Finish Clean, medium in length, and refreshingly dry. Red fruit and the Syrah's spiced pepper carry the close together before the mineral freshness of the terroir takes over — a cool, slightly stony fade that leaves the palate clean and immediately ready for the next sip or the next bite of food. The finish is Le Cadet's most Montirius-characteristic quality: precise, direct, and unapologetically alive.
Quick Overview
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Appellation | IGP Vaucluse, Southern Rhône Valley, France |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Producer | Domaine Montirius — Saurel Family, 6th generation |
| Cuvée | Le Cadet — "the youngest brother" |
| Vineyard | Single 7-hectare parcel — Sarrians, banks of the Ouvèze river |
| Vine Age | 65+ years — Grenache and Syrah |
| Blend | 60% Grenache · 40% Syrah |
| Soils | Garrigue, blue clay marls, sand, sandstone |
| Yield | Limited to 30 hl/ha |
| Farming | Certified Biodynamic — Biodyvin 1999 · First biodynamic estate in Gigondas & Vacqueyras |
| Fermentation | Indigenous yeasts |
| Aging | 6–12 months — unlined cement vats only, no oak |
| Bottles Produced | 28,000 |
| Style / Identity | Biodynamic IGP Vaucluse — fresh, fruited, spicy, no-oak purity |
| Aromas & Flavors | Bright red cherry, dark fruit, red berry, Syrah pepper, flint, garrigue, thyme, mineral |
| Drink Window | Now through 2026 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
Serving & Occasion
Best served slightly cool at 15–16°C — Le Cadet's freshness and bright fruit character are most vivid with a slight chill that amplifies the mineral and red fruit notes. No decanting required — open and pour. A quintessential everyday food wine: outstanding alongside roasted lamb, game meats, grilled duck, wild mushroom dishes, vegetable lasagna, herb-roasted chicken, aged goat cheese, and any Mediterranean preparation featuring thyme, rosemary, or garlic. The name says it all: this is the bottle you open because the occasion deserves good wine but doesn't require ceremony. Drink from now through 2025–2026 for peak fruit freshness.
Product Information
Product Information
Shipping & Returns
Shipping & Returns
Description
Le Cadet means "the youngest brother" — and Domaine Montirius uses the name with deliberate affection. This is the wine that sits below the domaine's celebrated Gigondas Renaissance, Vacqueyras, and Côtes du Rhône expressions in the hierarchy, produced from a single seven-hectare parcel on the banks of the Ouvèze river in Sarrians at the southern tip of the Vacqueyras appellation. Its IGP Vaucluse designation places it outside the prestige appellation system — but as every importer who has worked with this wine consistently notes, Le Cadet has nothing to envy from a good Côtes du Rhône. It simply grows where it grows and carries the same Montirius philosophy — the same biodynamic farming, the same no-oak cement vat vinification, the same six generations of Saurel family care — as every other bottle in the range.
The foundation is genuinely impressive for an IGP wine: 65-year-old Grenache and Syrah vines whose root systems have spent decades exploring the diverse Sarrians soil mosaic of garrigue, blue clay marls, sand, and sandstone. Old vines at this age, regardless of appellation designation, produce concentrated, low-yield fruit of a character younger plantings cannot approach. The 2020 vintage on the southern Rhône delivered warm, concentrated growing conditions producing wines of vivid fruit intensity and lively freshness — and Le Cadet received those conditions on vines that were fully equipped to translate them into the glass.
The result is what Piedmont Wine Imports described as "very pretty slightly spicy dark fruit aromas" with a "cool dark mouthfeel" — fresh, fruited, biodynamically clean, and built to be enjoyed rather than contemplated. This is the bottle you open on a Tuesday because life is too short for mediocre wine on a Tuesday.
Origins & Craftsmanship
Domaine Montirius — the first estate to achieve biodynamic certification in both the Gigondas and Vacqueyras appellations, a distinction it has held since 1999 — farms 63 hectares across the southern Rhône Valley under the stewardship of Christine and Eric Saurel and their daughters Manon and Justine, now representing the sixth generation of the family to farm the Sarrians plateau. The family's biodynamic philosophy is total and unconditional: no synthetic chemistry, cover crops between vine rows, polyculture including ancient fruit trees and aromatic plants woven through the vineyard, and farming decisions guided by lunar cycles and biodynamic principles applied across every hectare without exception.
Le Cadet is sourced from a single seven-hectare parcel that the domaine describes as the "baby brother" of its prestigious appellations — 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah planted on vines over 65 years of age on the banks of the Ouvèze river, in the commune of Sarrians at the southern edge of the Vacqueyras zone. The soil mosaic across the parcel — garrigue, blue clay marls, sand, and sandstone — produces the diversity of mineral expression and terroir character that makes even an entry-level Montirius wine more interesting than most of its peers. Yields are limited to 30 hectoliters per hectare — a conservative ceiling that ensures the old vines' natural concentration is preserved rather than diluted by excessive production.
Winemaking follows the no-oak philosophy that defines every Montirius red: indigenous yeast fermentation, cool-mouthfeel extraction, and exclusive aging in unlined cement vats for 6 to 12 months before bottling. The cement vats — the same philosophy applied across the entire Montirius range — preserve the fruit's natural character and the biodynamic vineyard's living energy without the oak influence that would soften or obscure either. The result is a wine of unusual freshness, purity, and direct fruit expression for its category. 28,000 bottles produced.
Critics Reviews
There are no widely published numeric scores from Wine Spectator, Wine Advocate, Vinous, or Decanter available for the 2020 Le Cadet specifically. Wine-Searcher aggregates "several important critics have rated this IGP Vaucluse wine highly" across vintages. The wine's reputation is built on consistent importer endorsement — Piedmont Wine Imports describes it as a former "staple in shops" and notes "very pretty slightly spicy dark fruit aromas" with "really good, cool fruit on the palate." The Montirius brand's broader critical standing — the first biodynamic certified estate in Gigondas and Vacqueyras, with recognition from Jancis Robinson and the French biodynamic wine world — provides the relevant context for a wine priced and positioned as the domaine's accessible everyday expression.
Tasting Profile
Nose Fresh, vibrant, and immediately expressive — Le Cadet's youthful, fruit-forward character arriving with clean directness. Bright red cherry leads confidently alongside red fruits and a vivid floral lift, followed by dark fruit — plum and blackberry — that adds depth beneath the brighter top notes. A very pretty spicy character emerges quickly: the Syrah's influence detectable as a thread of northern-style pepper and flint — cool, mineral, and slightly resinous — that adds an aromatic complexity above what the appellation designation might suggest. Garrigue herbs and wild thyme thread gently through the whole, rooting the nose in the southern Rhône landscape without heaviness. The biodynamic farming's cleanness is detectable in the precision and purity of the fruit aromatics — no muddiness, no reduction, just direct vineyard expression.
Palate Cool, fresh, and supple — the no-oak cement vat vinification immediately apparent in the wine's lively, unencumbered fruit character. Bright red cherry and fresh dark fruit arrive first with genuine vivacity, followed by the Syrah's spicy, slightly peppery contribution that gives Le Cadet its distinctive "slightly spicy dark fruit" personality. Fine, elegant tannins provide structure without grip — the 65-year-old vine concentration present in the density of the fruit rather than in any sense of extraction or weight. Blue clay marl minerality and a light stony quality thread through the mid-palate — a cool, refreshing mineral presence that is distinctly Sarrians in character. The mouthfeel is what the domaine consistently achieves across every expression: cool, fresh, and deeply satisfying — a quality that only biodynamic farming and no-oak vinification together produce with this consistency.
Finish Clean, medium in length, and refreshingly dry. Red fruit and the Syrah's spiced pepper carry the close together before the mineral freshness of the terroir takes over — a cool, slightly stony fade that leaves the palate clean and immediately ready for the next sip or the next bite of food. The finish is Le Cadet's most Montirius-characteristic quality: precise, direct, and unapologetically alive.
Quick Overview
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Appellation | IGP Vaucluse, Southern Rhône Valley, France |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Producer | Domaine Montirius — Saurel Family, 6th generation |
| Cuvée | Le Cadet — "the youngest brother" |
| Vineyard | Single 7-hectare parcel — Sarrians, banks of the Ouvèze river |
| Vine Age | 65+ years — Grenache and Syrah |
| Blend | 60% Grenache · 40% Syrah |
| Soils | Garrigue, blue clay marls, sand, sandstone |
| Yield | Limited to 30 hl/ha |
| Farming | Certified Biodynamic — Biodyvin 1999 · First biodynamic estate in Gigondas & Vacqueyras |
| Fermentation | Indigenous yeasts |
| Aging | 6–12 months — unlined cement vats only, no oak |
| Bottles Produced | 28,000 |
| Style / Identity | Biodynamic IGP Vaucluse — fresh, fruited, spicy, no-oak purity |
| Aromas & Flavors | Bright red cherry, dark fruit, red berry, Syrah pepper, flint, garrigue, thyme, mineral |
| Drink Window | Now through 2026 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
Serving & Occasion
Best served slightly cool at 15–16°C — Le Cadet's freshness and bright fruit character are most vivid with a slight chill that amplifies the mineral and red fruit notes. No decanting required — open and pour. A quintessential everyday food wine: outstanding alongside roasted lamb, game meats, grilled duck, wild mushroom dishes, vegetable lasagna, herb-roasted chicken, aged goat cheese, and any Mediterranean preparation featuring thyme, rosemary, or garlic. The name says it all: this is the bottle you open because the occasion deserves good wine but doesn't require ceremony. Drink from now through 2025–2026 for peak fruit freshness.
