NEW DISCOVERY: Old-School Chateauneuf Producer BANNERET Just Below Rayas

Classic and elegant... Domaine du Banneret!

A great story behind this tiny Domaine...
Making just 600 - 1,000 bottles annually, the small family run Domaine of Jean-Claude Vidal is crafting classically styled wines of elegance in Chateauneuf-du-Pape.  Their vineyard holding is in the lieu-dit Grand Pierre just below Pignan (Rayas) on the lower part of the gentle sloping hill.  Vines are an average of 60 years old and farming is done organically with biodynamic principles employeed.  All work is done by human hands.  When Jean-Calude purchased the Domaine in the early 80's, he worked very closely with legend, Henri Bonneau how provided guidance in farming, and more importantly with winemaking.  This influence would help form the style of the Domaine which favors elegance and classic winemaking from slow fermentations and long elevage.  Today, Jean-Claude's daughter, Audrey, is fulfilling her father's legacy by maintaining the same farming and classical winemaking practices.  Audrey brings a level of refinement to the already impressive wines.

Some press:
2023 Domaine du Banneret Chateauneuf-du-Pape - WA 97, JD 95
"The 2023 Châteauneuf-du-Pape from Domaine du Banneret is superb, wafting from the glass with a perfumed bouquet of peonies, wildflowers, dark cherries, red berries and garrigue. Medium- to full-bodied, suave and seamless, it’s layered and textural, with a delicate, juicy core of fruit framed by velvety tannins and concluding with an expansive, lingering finish. This is arguably one of the finest wines ever produced at this address—and without contest, one of the wines of the vintage. It’s a blend of 50% Grenache Noir, 15% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre and the remainder made up of small percentages of the other permitted varieties." - Yohan Castaing, The Wine Advocate, Oct 16, 2025
Drink date: 2026-2053

"Never the biggest or richest wine in a vintage, the 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape is medium ruby-hued with an incredibly complex, Provençal perfume of spiced black cherries, leather, rose, and pepper. It's medium-bodied and shows a pretty, pure, elegant mouthfeel with ultra-fine tannins and outstanding length. The blend is 50% Grenache, 15% Syrah, and the balance Mourvèdre and other permitted varieties, which were vinified with some stems and aged in foudre. It's already drinking beautifully but has another 15+ years of prime drinking ahead of it. It’s a beautiful, complex, nuanced, elegant 2023 with tons to love. Drink 2025-2040." - Jeb Dunnuck, Nov 11, 2025

**only 36x bottles**
Buy 6x bottles and the price will drop to $65/bottle

The Wine Advocate:
"Domaine du Banneret is among the smallest estates in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with just five hectares. Today, his daughter Audrey carries the torch, farming and vinifying with the same traditional ethos, privileging substance over fashion.

The Domaine produces only one red cuvée, a co-fermented field blend of all 13 permitted grape varieties, and since 2015, a white cuvée as well. The vineyards, averaging 60 years of age and including plots over 80, are interplanted on classic galets roulés over clay-limestone. Grenache leads the plantings, followed by Mourvèdre, Syrah and a mosaic of minor reds and whites.

Farming follows organic principles, though without certification. Audrey ploughs the soil, prunes to regulate vigor and tailors canopy management to each season. Yields are controlled by pruning rather than crop thinning. Harvesting is carried out manually by a small team, with sorting beginning in the vineyard.

All varieties ferment in the cellar in concrete tanks with native yeasts. Depending on stem maturity, Audrey includes whole clusters. Fermentations last around three weeks, with extraction achieved through infusion, remontage and pigéage employed only as needed. Élevage extends 18 to 24 months in old, large foudres. New oak is avoided and bottling proceeds without filtration.

The 2023 vintage delivered a healthy crop at 31 hectoliters per hectare. The wines evoke the structure of 2018 but with cooler fruit tones, softer textures and greater aromatic finesse. For Banneret, 2023 stands as one of the Domaine’s most successful vintages to date."

Orders which include wines marked PRE-ARRIVAL that are combined with in stock items will be available for shipping/collection once all items have arrived at our warehouse. Minimum purchase per order is 3 bottles.

If you place an order it may be held for more favorable shipping weather. WE WILL NOT SHIP AUTOMATICALLY UNLESS NOTATED ON THE ORDER. If you would like to discuss expedited shipping options just contact us. Orders are automatically insured for $100, you can add additional insurance at checkout.

Automatically receive a discounted ground shipping rate when you order a full case of 12 bottles (mix and match - 750ml only). Shipping promotion not valid for combination with previous orders. Pricing for this offer only and not retroactive.

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-The Bottle List