2022 Rotem & Mounir Saouma Inopia Rouge Cote du Rhone 750 ml

Years ago, on our trek down the Rhône Valley wine route, we walked with Mounir Saouma through the stone-riddled vineyards of his first acquisition in Châteauneuf-du-Pape: a sunny five-acre plot in Pignan that was cheap and in poor condition when he bought it.

That site has since become a super-achiever, and on our last visit, we were stunned by how much his site in Orange—the source of the 2022 Rotem & Mounir Saouma Inopia Côtes-du-Rhône Villages—reminded us of his precious Châteauneuf vineyard. 

The Saoumas bought a desolate parcel in Orange in 2011, calling it “Inopia,” Latin for “made from nothing.” This plot comprises a layer of poor clay soil and a deeper layer of small river stones known as grès, in contrast with the larger galets roulés found in Châteauneuf. The stony soils provide advantageous humidity and plenty of mineral elements. Rotem and Mounir planted 11 grape varieties at high density, hoping for low yields of high-quality fruit—and this stunning wine shows they got their wish. The wine is practically Châteauneuf-du-Pape, grown just outside the border of that renowned AOC. 

In the cellar, Mounir seeks “extreme purity,” influenced by Rhône stalwarts like Rayas (a neighbor of one of his plots) and Burgundy, where he first established a micro-négociant in the 1990s. His Inopia comprises 80% Grenache with 20% of Mourvèdre, Counoise, Syrah, and Cinsault. While Mounir’s élevages sometimes last as long as 60 months, this one, after a 15-day maceration on whole clusters, spent 18 months in cement eggs, large oak foudres, and barrels. 

The result is a stunningly good Côtes-du-Rhône Villages with a Châteauneuf-du-Pape soul—suave and graceful, with deep, earthy power, it drinks well above its station.