Chante Cigale
- Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France
This estate continues to work its way up the hierarchy in Châteauneuf du Pape and today are fashioning some of the most exciting wines in the appellation.”
—Jeb Dunnuck
As at many family domaines with deep roots in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, vigneron Alexandre Favier was by his own account “raised in the vineyards”: Alexandre’s grandfather, Noël Sabon, is from one of the best known winemaking families in the region. Alexandre himself began his viticultural studies in Orange at the age of fifteen and passed the exams four years later in 2001. A year later (at age twenty!) he took over winemaking duties at the domaine when his father experienced health problems.
This is a traditional house with 40 hectares of red grapes and 5 hectares of white. They have parcels in all of the main soil types of Châteauneuf and they vinify the top parcels separately. Only native yeasts are employed in the cellar, and the reds are mostly de-stemmed.