The Chateau Mourgues du Gres is among the capstone properties of the Costieres de Nimes, the southernmost rim of the Rhone Valley and most exposed to the Mediterranean sea breeze. The winery was founded in 1993 by Francois Collard shortly after the appellation title was created, drawn home from his work in Bordeaux to bring out the potential of his hometown vineyards. Joined today by his daughter Anne Collard, the pair farm biodynamically and work quietly naturally in the cellar, with an eye on reaching an absolutely classic style of wine. The Galets Cuvee, named for the ubiquitous rounded stones that define so many of the Rhone’s finest vineyards, is made from two thirds Syrah, one quarter Grenache, and equally small splashes of Mourvedre and Marselan, mostly classic varieties that age only in concrete. The wine smells of cherry pie, garrigue and barnyard and a bit of nutmeg. The palate is full bodied and full of black cherries, lingonberries, and dusty soil mixed with hefty tannins that put this wine on the menu next to heavy winter stews and roasts.