Isabel Ferrando Chateauneuf-du-Pape ‘Saint Prefert’ 2022

Isabel Ferrando is one of the fastest growing, highest decorated wineries in the entire Rhone. Isabel’s reputation has been not so silently budding ever since her first vintage back in 2003.

She launched Domaine Saint-Préfert with just 13.2 hectares, purchased from the Serre family, one of the first to estate-bottle in the appellation in the 1930’s.

After studying her parcels for more than 15 years Ferrando started a new chapter with the release of the 2020 vintage. She decided to lean into the tradition of blending in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, making a single wine from Les Serres, and it’s now the flagship of the estate. She continues to make “Colombis” as well as her Cotes-du-Rhone, and two white Chateauneuf-du-Papes, including the very limited Vieilles Clairettes in magnum. Now, all of Ferrando’s wines are bottled under the name Famille Isabel Ferrando and collectors know exactly what to look for.

Isabel and her family have always farmed organically, but now they are also following biodynamic methods too. As should would tell you herself, some of the success she’s been enjoying can be attributed to the extremely old vines in her holdings: the Grenache vines alone average more than 70 years old, and she still has some of the original Mourvèdre that was planted in the 1920’s. This place is a treasure. The winemaking is flat-out exceptional.