Rayas-Level Châteauneuf: Just $45
2020 Domaine Jerme Gradassi Chateauneuf-du-Pape
This is the most fascinating backstory in the Rhône Valley. Jérôme Gradassi wasn't supposed to be a winemaker. Up until 2003, he was the chef and owner of L'Isle Sonnant, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Avignon. But when his grandfather passed away, leaving behind a microscopic 3.5-hectare plot of old vines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Jérôme sold his restaurant and completely shifted gears. He taught himself to make wine using the exact same philosophy he used in his kitchen: pristine ingredients …
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The Michelin Touch: Crafted by a former Michelin-starred chef who applies his obsessive palate to traditional winemaking.
Tiny Production: Sourced from just 3.5 hectares of vines planted in the 1970s.
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$57.49
$45.00
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Tasting notes
Aroma
An incredible, lifted bouquet of wild garrigue, crushed blackberries, and black pepper. As it opens, beautiful, savory hints of earth, dried violet, and woodsmoke leap from the glass.
Palate
Juicy, dry, and intricately spiced. The palate delivers a core of dark plum, bitter cherry, and licorice, supported by subtle, grainy tannins. It possesses a mouthwatering freshness and a smoky, earthy finish that practically demands a grilled lamb chop.
Red Wine Body Profile
Light
Bold
Body Profile
Lifted
51/100 Intensity
Light
Bold
51.0/100
Feather-light
Delicate
Lifted
Structured
Deep
Grapes
80% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre
ABV
14.5%
Serving
54–59°F
Window
2025–2051
In Detail
Domaine Jerome Gradassi’s 2020 Rouge. Michelin-star pedigree
This is the most fascinating backstory in the Rhône Valley.
Jérôme Gradassi wasn't supposed to be a winemaker. Up until 2003, he was the chef and owner of L'Isle Sonnant, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Avignon. But when his grandfather passed away, leaving behind a microscopic 3.5-hectare plot of old vines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Jérôme sold his restaurant and completely shifted gears.
He taught himself to make wine using the exact same philosophy he used in his kitchen: pristine ingredients and zero manipulation. He ferments whole-clusters in old concrete tanks using native yeasts, and ages the wine in older barrels. The result is a profoundly traditional, savory, and rustic Châteauneuf-du-Pape that French critics have actively compared to untouchable, $500+ legends like Château Rayas and Henri Bonneau.
The 2020 vintage is hitting its stride beautifully. The catch? Because his estate is so tiny, hardly any of this makes it to the US. While bottles of those benchmark traditional estates will easily set you back half a grand, we negotiated a phenomenal deal on a small parcel of Gradassi. Today, you are getting that same traditional, savory magic for just $45.
