Domaine Rimbert

Languedoc, Saint- Chinian, Berlou

Certified Organic

Jean-Marie Rimbert, a maverick and self-proclaimed “Carignaniste” and “Carignator” (aka defender and champion of Carignan), is a benchmark grower in Saint-Chinian. His cuvées show just how pleasurable and vibrant this often misunderstood grape can be when planted on the right soils and farmed and vinified responsibly. He likes to say “Carignan is my Pinot,” and it’s an apt comparison. With his low yields (30hL/ha max, often less), intimate knowledge of individual parcels, and delicate extractions (punchdowns), Jean-Marie brings out undeniable delicacy, nuance, elegance, and ageability in the grape.

Jean-Marie established himself as the first grower in Berlou to bottle under his own name in the late ‘90s. His AOC wines have since become classics. His irreverent and playful VDF bottlings, as well as keen sense of humor and imagination have inspired many. Today, Berlou is recognized as one of the top crus of Saint-Chinian, due to its high elevation, brown schist soils, and terraced vineyards. AOC and VDF bottlings alike brim with energy – beautifully lifted wines with a crunchy, savory, and herbal expression that belies the soil’s minerality and the aromatic garrigue-studded slopes.

The domaine is now comprised of 45 ha spread across many diverse parcels, locally called “travers”, each with a slightly different soil composition and exposition. He started in the mid-90’s with lutte raisonée and native yeast ferments and began converting to organic certification in 2013.