Whenever I visit Domaine Richaud, just outside the village of Cairanne, the winemaking team remind me of friends I made at free parties in the 1990s in fields and disused warehouses. I’m not talking dreadlocks and dogs on strings, but there’s always an anarchic frisson in the air. You get the impression they know how to enjoy themselves.
Perhaps it’s to be expected, given the radical furrow Marcel Richaud has ploughed. He’s approaching 70 now, but still thrums with pent-up energy, his ice-blue eyes as bright as ever.
When I arrived at his winery, he was surprised to hear who I was writing for. ‘Decanter? Well, you better like natural wines!’.
Scroll down to see Matt Walls’ tasting notes and scores for eight Domaine Richaud wines
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3LmRlY2FudGVyLmNvbS9sZWFybi9uby1zdWxwaGl0ZXMtYWRkZWQtd2luZS10aGUtZ3JlYXQtZGViYXRlLTQ1MTE5NS8iIHRhcmdldD0iX2JsYW5rIiByZWw9Im5vb3BlbmVyIG5vcmVmZXJyZXIiPnN1bHBodXIgZGlveGlkZTwvYT48L3N0cm9uZz4g4oCTIGJ1dCBub3QgaGVyZS4gRm9yIE1hcmNlbCwgdGhlcmXigJlzIGEgZ3JlYXRlciBlbmVteS48L3A+CjxwPiYjODIxNjtOZXZlciA8c3Ryb25nPjxhIGhyZWY9Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmRlY2FudGVyLmNvbS9sZWFybi93aGF0LWlzLW92ZXItZXh0cmFjdGlvbi13aW5lLWFzay1kZWNhbnRlci00MjE2ODMvIiB0YXJnZXQ9Il9ibGFuayIgcmVsPSJub29wZW5lciBub3JlZmVycmVyIj5leGNlc3MgZXh0cmFjdGlvbjwvYT48L3N0cm9uZz4sIGl04oCZcyB0aGUgZnVuZGFtZW50YWwgdGhpbmcmIzgyMTc7LCBoZSBzYXlzLCBhbmQgaGlzIG1hY2VyYXRpb24gdGltZXMgdmFyeSBiZXR3ZWVuIGVpZ2h0IGFuZCAxMiBkYXlzIOKAkyBhIHRoaXJkIG9mIHRoZSBsZW5ndGggb2Ygc29tZSBvZiBoaXMgbmVpZ2hib3Vycy4gUGVyaGFwcyB0aGlzIGlzIHdoYXQgbWFrZXMgaGlzIHdpbmVzIHNvIGRyaW5rYWJsZSwgZGVzcGl0ZSB0aGVpciBjb25jZW50cmF0aW9uLjwvcD4KPGRpdiBjbGFzcz0iYWQtY29udGFpbmVyIGFkLWNvbnRhaW5lci0tbW9iaWxlIj48ZGl2IGlkPSJwb3N0LWlubGluZS00IiBjbGFzcz0iaXBjLWFkdmVydCI+PC9kaXY+PC9kaXY+CjxwPk1pbmltYWwgaW50ZXJ2ZW50aW9uIGluIHRoZSB3aW5lcnkgaXMgYSBub2JsZSBhaW07IGl0IGNhbiBib3RoIGhlbHAgYW5kIGhpbmRlciB0aGUgZXhwcmVzc2lvbiBvZiB0ZXJyb2lyLiBBdCBEb21hbmUgUmljaGF1ZCBpdCBpcyB1c3VhbGx5IGEgcG9zaXRpdmUuPC9wPgo8cD5NYXJjZWwgZG9lc24mIzgyMTc7dCBhZGQgdGFydGFyaWMgYWNpZCwgd2F0ZXIgb3IgeWVhc3QsIGFuZCB0aGUgd2luZXMgYXJlIGJvdHRsZWQgdW5maWx0ZXJlZCBhbmQgdW5maW5lZC4gSXQgbWFrZXMgZm9yIGEgdmVyeSBjYW5kaWQgZXhwcmVzc2lvbiBvZiB0aGUgcGxhY2UuIE5vIHN1bHBodXIgaXMgYWRkZWQgdW50aWwgYm90dGxpbmcsIGFuZCB0aGVuIG9ubHkgc21hbGwgYW1vdW50cy4gU29tZXRpbWVzIG5vbmUgYXQgYWxsLjwvcD4KPGRpdiBjbGFzcz0iYWQtY29udGFpbmVyIGFkLWNvbnRhaW5lci0tbW9iaWxlIj48ZGl2IGlkPSJwb3N0LWlubGluZS01IiBjbGFzcz0iaXBjLWFkdmVydCI+PC9kaXY+PC9kaXY+CjxoMz5UaGUgaGFuZHMtb2ZmIGFwcHJvYWNoICYjODIxMTsgdGhlIGJlbmVmaXRzIG91dHdlaWdoIHRoZSByaXNrczwvaDM+CjxwPldvcmtpbmcgd2l0aCBtaW5pbWFsIHN1bHBodXIgaXMgYSBkYW5nZXJvdXMgZ2FtZS4gVGhlcmUgYXJlIHJpc2tzOiB0aGUgd2luZXMgY2FuIGJlIG1hcmtlZCBieSB1bndlbGNvbWUgeWVhc3RzIG9yIGJhY3RlcmlhIHRoYXQgY3JlYXRlIGZsYXZvdXJzIHRoYXQsIHdoaWxlIG5vdCBhbHdheXMgdW5wbGVhc2FudCwgY2FuIGNvdmVyIHVwIHRoZSB0YXN0ZSBvZiB0aGUgcGxhY2UgYW5kIGdyYXBlLiBCdXQgZ2V0IGl0IHJpZ2h0IGFuZCB3aW5lcyBjYW4gYmUgYnJpZ2h0ZXIsIHdpdGggYSBzZW5zZSBvZiBwbGVuaXR1ZGUsIGVuZXJneSBhbmQgaW1tZWRpYWN5LiBNYXJjZWwgaXMgbW9yZSBhZGVwdCB0aGFuIG1vc3QsIGFuZCBtb3JlIG9mdGVuIHRoYW4gbm90IGhlIHJlYXBzIHJld2FyZHMuPC9wPgo8cD5BdCB0aGVpciBiZXN0LCBoaXMgd2luZXMgYXJlIHRoZSBkaXN0aWxsZWQgZXNzZW5jZSBvZiB0aGUgUHJvdmVuw6dhbCBsYW5kc2NhcGUuIFRoZXkgZW1icmFjZSB0aGUgdG90YWxpdHkgb2YgdGhlaXIgc291dGhlcm4gaWRlbnRpdHk6IHN1bi13YXJtZWQsIGRhcmsgaW4gY29sb3VyLCByaWNoIGluIGZsYXZvdXIgYW5kIGFsY29ob2wuIFRoZXkgcmluZyB3aXRoIHRoZSBzb25nIG9mIHRoZSBjaWNhZGEuIEkgbG92ZSB0aGVtIGZvciB0aGVpciBkcmFtYSwgZW5lcmd5IGFuZCB0aGUgdW5jb25kaXRpb25hbCBsb3ZlIG9mIHdoZXJlIHRoZXnigJlyZSBmcm9tLjwvcD4KPGgzPlRoZSB3aW5lIHJhbmdlPC9oMz4KPHA+VGhlIENhaXJhbm5lcywgcGFydGljdWxhcmx5IEzigJlFYnJlc2NhZGUgZnJvbSBhIDMwMG0gdmluZXlhcmQgbmVhciB0aGUgYm9yZGVyIHdpdGggUmFzdGVhdSwgYnJpbSB3aXRoIHJpcGUgYmxhY2sgb2xpdmVzLCBiYXkgbGVhdmVzLCBsYXRlLXNlYXNvbiBibGFja2JlcnJpZXMgYW5kIGR1c3R5IHRoeW1lLjwvcD4KPHA+VGhlIFJhc3RlYXUgJiM4MjExOyBoYWxmIDxzdHJvbmc+PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVjYW50ZXIuY29tL3dpbmUvZ3JhcGUtdmFyaWV0aWVzL2dyZW5hY2hlLWdhcm5hY2hhLyIgdGFyZ2V0PSJfYmxhbmsiIHJlbD0ibm9vcGVuZXIgbm9yZWZlcnJlciI+R3JlbmFjaGU8L2E+PC9zdHJvbmc+LCBoYWxmIDxzdHJvbmc+PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVjYW50ZXIuY29tL3dpbmUvZ3JhcGUtdmFyaWV0aWVzL2NhcmlnbmFuLyIgdGFyZ2V0PSJfYmxhbmsiIHJlbD0ibm9vcGVuZXIgbm9yZWZlcnJlciI+Q2FyaWduYW48L2E+IDwvc3Ryb25nPiYjODIxMTsgaXMgc3RpY2t5IHdpdGggZmlnIHBhc3RlLjwvcD4KPHA+SGUgb2Z0ZW4gcGxheXMgd2l0aCBjcmVhdGluZyBuZXcgY3V2w6llcywgYm90aCBmcm9tIGVzdGF0ZSBmcnVpdCBhbmQgc29tZSBwdXJjaGFzZWQgZ3JhcGVzLiBUaGUgQ8O0dGVzLWR1LVJow7RuZXMgYW5kIFZpbiBkZSBGcmFuY2UgYm90dGxpbmdzIHB1bmNoIHdlbGwgYWJvdmUgdGhlaXIgd2VpZ2h0LiBUaGVzZSB3aW5lcyBhcmUgbmV2ZXIgdGhpbi48L3A+CjxkaXYgY2xhc3M9ImluamVjdGlvbiI+PC9kaXY+CjxwPkluIHBhcnQgdGhpcyBpcyB0aGFua3MgdG8gZW1icmFjaW5nIGxvY2FsIHZhcmlldGllcy4gSGlzIGV4Y2VsbGVudCBDw7R0ZXMtZHUtUmjDtG5lLCBUZXJyZSBkZXMgR2FsZXRzLCBjb250YWlucyBhbG1vc3QgYXMgbXVjaCBDb3Vub2lzZSBhbmQgQ2FyaWduYW4gYXMgaXQgZG9lcyBHcmVuYWNoZSBhbmQgPHN0cm9uZz48YSBocmVmPSJodHRwczovL3d3dy5kZWNhbnRlci5jb20vd2luZS9ncmFwZS12YXJpZXRpZXMvc2hpcmF6LXN5cmFoLyIgdGFyZ2V0PSJfYmxhbmsiIHJlbD0ibm9vcGVuZXIgbm9yZWZlcnJlciI+U3lyYWg8L2E+PC9zdHJvbmc+LiBIZeKAmXMgcGxhbnRpbmcgbW9yZSBDb3Vub2lzZSBpbiBmYWN0LCBhbG9uZyB3aXRoIDxzdHJvbmc+PGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVjYW50ZXIuY29tL3dpbmUvZ3JhcGUtdmFyaWV0aWVzL2NpbnNhdWx0LyIgdGFyZ2V0PSJfYmxhbmsiIHJlbD0ibm9vcGVuZXIgbm9yZWZlcnJlciI+Q2luc2F1bHQ8L2E+IDwvc3Ryb25nPmFuZCBNdXNjYXJkaW4uPC9wPgo8aDM+VGhlIGZ1dHVyZSBvZiBEb21haW5lIFJpY2hhdWQ8L2gzPgo8cD5NYXJjZWwgaXMgdGFraW5nIGEgc3RlcCBiYWNrIG5vdy4gSGUgaGFzIHN0b29kIHVwIGZvciBoaXMgdmlzaW9uIGFuZCBzdWNjZXNzZnVsbHkgZm91Z2h0IGhpcyBjb3JuZXIuIEhpcyBzb24gVGhvbWFzIGlzIHRha2luZyBvdmVyIHRoZSBwcm9kdWN0aW9uIGFuZCBoaXMgZGF1Z2h0ZXIgQ2xhaXJlIGlzIG5vdyByZXNwb25zaWJsZSBmb3IgdGhlIGNvbW1lcmNpYWwgc2lkZS48L3A+CjxwPlRoZXnigJl2ZSBpbmhlcml0ZWQgaGlzIHBpZXJjaW5nIGJsdWUgZXllcyDigJMgYW5kIEkgaG9wZSBoaXMgcmViZWxsaW91cyBzcGlyaXQsIHRoZSBzb3VyY2Ugb2Ygc3VjaCBicmlsbGlhbnQgd2luZXMuPC9wPgo8cD4K"}
See Matt Walls’ tasting notes and scores for eight Domaine Richaud wines:
{}
{"wineId":"53856","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"53855","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"56028","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"56029","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"56030","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"56031","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"56032","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"56033","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{}
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