Sébastien Clément is a young winemaker with a fast growing reputation in the Southern Rhône valley, producing wines with an uncommon lightness of touch from his family’s vineyards in ‘the other Châteauneuf’.

Châteauneuf-du-Gardagne is located some 20km south of the it’s more famous neighbour, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, just to the east of Avignon. Gardagne’s vineyards share the same galet soils, giant round pebbles deposited two to three million years ago in the Villafranchian era. It is these pebbles, that heat up in the sun and radiate that warmth back to the grapes, that makes this such a special place to make wine. 

The village is one of the most beautiful in this corner of Provence with cobbled streets and cicadas galore. Located on the top of a hill, it overlooks the river valley on one side with views across to Mont Ventoux in the other.

Back in 2017, writing in Decanter, Andrew Jefford noted Gardagne’s wines had  “a force, an energy and an intensity to them that you will not often find among their peers” whilst noting the growers back then need to “work more on gentleness of articulation, middle-palate mass and subtlety of nuance.” 

Nine years on that is exactly what Sébastien is doing. "Gentleness of articulation, middle-palate mass and subtlety of nuance" sum up the current Domaine des Garriguettes wines to a tee.

They are open, honest wines with low levels of extraction and an emphasis on bright, unforced fruit. They are unmistakeably Southern Rhône but a world away from common-or-garden supermarket versions.

In December 2025, Jane MacQuitty writing in The Times praised the Cotes du Rhone Tradition 2024 as "ridiculously good...punching above its weight." A blend of 50% Grenache with 25% Syrah and 25% Mourvedre, it is sleek and focused with subtle power and excellent balance. Sébastien calls it a "compass for Cotes du Rhone reds", pointing the way to a future where climate change will be increasingly important.

The Fleur du Lune 2024 white, a blend of Clairette, Grenache Blanc and early-picked Viognier. A portion of the Clairette spends some time in big, old barrels first used by Sébastien’s grandfather Jean to add an extra layer of texture and weight to the crisp orchard fruit character. Try it with sea bass baked with lemon and bay.

That grandfather makes an appearance on the label of the Le Béret Bleu 2024, sporting the eponymous headwear. Made from 100% Cinsault - very unusual for a Côtes du Rhône - this is Sébastien’s homage to the wines Jean made, a man he spent much time with while his father worked hard in the vineyards. This is a pure expression of grape and soil with juicy wild bilberry and damson fruit. It would be perfect with charcuterie or simply roasted chicken.

The final wine is the Châteauneuf-du-Pape la Borne 2023. Made from 95% whole bunch Grenache with 5% Mourvèdre, sourced from old vines. Aged for 18 months in 600l. old oak barrels, this is a wonderful winter wine.