St. Damien was an early Christian saint martyred in the year 287 A.D.. Later he was considered the patron saint of doctors. There was a chapel dedicated to his honor in the tiny hamlet of La Baumette, just outside the village of Gigondas, where Joel Saurel lives. M. Saurel's predecessors took the name Saint Damien for the domaine. Domaine St. Damien's cuvées of Gigondas have become the reference for classic full-bodied yet fine Gigondas, with consistent and high scores for every vintage. Almost as popular as their high-scoring Gigondas cuvées, are the Côtes-du-Rhône bottlings, considered for their intense concentration and tremendous value. Harvests are later and yields are low. Joel's son, Romain is becoming more and more involved in the winemaking.
-Importer notes (Weygandt)
A more Syrah-dominated release, the 2020 Languedoc Puech Noble has a beautiful bouquet of red and blue fruits as well as violets, spring flowers, and peppery herbs. With medium-bodied richness on the palate, it has a good sense of purity and elegance, fin...
Macerated for 35 days and partly destemmed, the 2022 Chateauneuf du Pape Première Pierre wafts from the glass with aromas of dark cherries, bay leaf, spices and dark wild berries mingled with menthol hints. Medium to full-bodied, enrobing and charming, it...
Similar in style to the 2006, the 2012 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul is rounded and textured, with tons of charm in its blackberry, black raspberry, violets, garrigue and spice aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, supple and textured, it shows the vi...