HISTORY OF DOMAINE: The Domaine de Fenouillet is situated in the village of Beaumes de Venise at the foot of the "Dentelles de Montmirail", the heart of the finest vineyard sites in the southern Cotes du Rhone. The Domaine has been in the hands of the Soard Family for many generations, until 1989 the grapes were harvested and immediately sold to the growers' cooperative. Vincent and Patrick Soard took over direction of the domaine in 1989 and, at that point, began to vinify their harvest and bottle the wines now made at the estate.

COMPOSITION OF DOMAINE: There are 16 hectares planted to grapes: 5.3 hectares devoted to Muscat to make the fabled Muscat de Beaumes de Venise; 7.7 hectares planted in the appellation of Cotes du Rhone Villages "Beaumes de Venise"; and 3 hectares within the Cotes du Ventoux appellation. Average production levels are 34 hectoliters per hectare yielding approximately 5,000 cases of wine per year.

The vineyards for the Beaumes de Venise Rouge are situated at an altitude of 350 meters and rest in soil composed of clay and chalk. The grape combination for the principal reds is: 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% old vines Mourvedre and 10% Cinsault.

METHOD OF VINIFICATION: The entire harvest is done manually. The Muscat for the Muscat de Beaumes de Venise is picked at optimum levels of maturity to achieve maximum sugar concentration. Several passes through the vineyards and a severe selection of the individual clusters is done prior to fermentation. Crushing is done with a modern pneumatic press to extract the finest juice which is then fermented under temperature-controlled conditions for about 15 days. The fermentation is then stopped to leave the wine with residual natural sugar. The Muscat de Beaumes de Venise is normally bottled in the spring of the year following harvest. For the Beaumes de Venise Rouge and the Cotes du Ventoux, the varietals are harvested and vinified separately and then blended to create the final cuvees. The Cotes du Ventoux is vinified with the objective of making a fresh, fruity wine for current consumption. The Beaumes de Venise Rouge, with its component of old vines and concentration of Grenache, is solidly built, deeply colored and quite age worthy. There is an extended cuvaison to achieve maximum extract; the wines are aged in both "cuve" and barrel; and the bottling is done normally after two years of aging without being filtered. Beginning in 1995, the Soards have bottled a special cuvee of Beaumes de Venise Rouge known as "Cuvee Yvon Soard", in honor of their father. This extremely limited production wine is exclusively from old vines and provides an additional level of complexity and intensity.