Chateau Pesquié is the story of three generations of winemakers. Odette and René Bastide took over the vineyard in the beginning of the 1970’s and restructured a large part of it. They used to bring their grapes to the local cooperative.

Edith and Paul Chaudière, René & Odette’s daughter, and son-in-law, decided to give up their medical careers to take over the family estate in 1985. They traveled to many wine regions (in France, Spain, Germany, the US, etc.), became sommeliers and worked on terroir selection. This led them to create their own winery in 1990, the first vintage of Château Pesquié. By then, it was one of 10 independent wineries: there are now more than 120.

Fred and Alex Chaudière, the two sons of Edith & Paul, have taken over gradually since 2003 with the firm objective to take it to the next level and show the world how amazing the Ventoux terroir is!

The 2019 Ventoux Quintessence is a blend of 80% Syrah and 20% Grenache. The color in the glass shows a deep glistening ruby with dark edges. There are appealing aromas of plum and blueberry, a hint of meatiness and underbrush lying in the background. The palate shows ripe rich dark fruit and silky tannins that are creamy. There is bright acidity that is crisp, leading to a lengthy finish. I have had several vintages of the Ventoux Quintessence and have found that this wine improves with 3 – 5 years of bottle age. It remains one of the more stunning values of the Rhone Valley.

By Perry Miroballi