Charles Thomas is a private label created for Kysela Pere et Fils from property owned by Les Grands Chais de France. Wines from Cotes du Rhone, Cotes de Provence and Chateauneuf du Pape are bottled under the Charles Thomas label.
Charles Thomas Côtes du Rhône wines are produced at Clos des Miran, located in the plains of Mas Conil, near the village Pont Saint Esprit in the Gard district. The property is located on a hillside of very deep loamy and sandy soil, and the land is tilled with horse-drawn plows to preserve its essential qualities. There are 58 hectares planted with Syrah (29 ha), Grenache (22 ha), Mourvèdre (3 ha), Carignan (2 ha) and Viognier (2 ha). The estate is certified organic in France since the 2014 vintage.
Charles Thomas Cotes de Provence is produced at Château La Galinière, located in the town of Chateauneuf-le-Rouge, just outside Aix-en-Provence. It is the site of a magnificent 18th century château dominating the plains of Cengle. The property, certified organic in France since the 2014 vintage, is located on bauxite-rich clay and sand red soil. The name of the town and the surrounding area, Châteauneuf-Le-Rouge, refers to the red colored soil. The property grows syrah, grenache, cinsault, cabernet, rolle and viognier. Managers Fabrice Arcari and his wife Aurélie are continuing a long and successful tradition of quality control, both in the vineyards (thanks to green harvest) and in the cellar, using a sorting table to keep only the best grapes for the macerations.
Located in Cotes de Provence is Mount Sainte Victoire, made famous by French Artist Paul Cezanne. It is 6 miles east of the famous city of Aix-En-Provence.
Charles Thomas Châteauneuf-du-Pape is sourced from various producers in the AOC. The idea is to have a wine made with grapes coming from all the different soils type found in Châteauneuf: limestone soil in the (rocky) western part of Châteauneuf-du-Pape; sand and clay soil covered with large stones on the plateaus; mixed sand, red and grey clay, and limestone in the northern part of the appellation; less stony soil alternating with marl in the east; and shallow sand and clay soil on a well-drained layer of gravel in the south. The large pebbles contribute to the quality of the vines and grapes by storing heat during the day and holding water. Our Charles Thomas Châteauneuf-du-Pape uses grapes coming from all these soil types found throughout the AOC.
