Frédéric Dorthe oversees his family's twenty hectares of vineyards located on the right bank of the Rhône River in the picturesque town of Saint-Marcel d'Ardèche. Frédéric’s estate has flown under the radar, due to long-standing contracts to sell most of his fruit. But, this allows him to make small amounts of honest, dangerously drinkable wines from Southern Rhône grapes. The wines are fermented and aged in cement with no additions except a small amount of SO2 at bottling.

Domaine du Chapitre’s Saint-Andéol Côtes du Rhône-Villages rouge is a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Carignan. Deep ruby red to the rim, this wine presents a complex nose of dark berry fruits mixed with earth, tapenade and purple flowers. The medium- to full-bodied palate is loaded with black raspberry and blackberry flavors accented with an iron-tinged earthy minerality. Mellow acidity and persistent, fine-grained tannins carry through towards a lengthy finish that entices you for the next sip.