In the seventh century, in a corner of France’s Ardèche known as Cousignac, a small chapel named Notre Dame was built. In the 18th century the Pommier family acquired the property and gradually converted the surrounding fields into vineyards. The chapel still stands, now surrounded by the Pommier vineyards, and the winery bears its name: Notre Dame de Cousignac.
Today the estate is managed by Raphaël Pommier, the seventh generation of the family. Located west of the Rhône River opposite Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Notre Dame de Cousignac cultivates fully organic vineyards across the Côtes-du-Rhône and Côtes-du-Vivarais appellations. Raphaël emphasizes that all his wines are blends and that none undergo barrel aging, allowing the wines’ natural fruit character to remain pure and expressive.
The Côtes du Vivarais appellation is relatively small and little known, covering the southern part of the Ardèche and a narrow northern strip of the Gard, and includes only a handful of producers. Raphaël’s Côtes du Vivarais Blanc 2011 ($14) blends Marsanne, Clairette and Grenache Blanc. It opens with an intense, spicy fruit bouquet that carries through to a fresh, mineral-driven palate and a medium-long finish marked by lingering spice.
Ardèche 2011 ($14) is a balanced, accessible red composed in equal parts Syrah and Grenache with 20 percent Carignan. The wine shows a silky texture and a soft, supple profile that makes it easy to enjoy on its own or with food.
Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2012 ($16) leads with Clairette from 50-year-old vines, rounded by 30 percent Marsanne, Grenache Blanc and Viognier. The result is a fruity, fresh white with floral nuances and relatively full body—versatile enough to serve as an aperitif or to pair with a first-course dish.
The estate’s Côtes du Rhône Villages Rouge ($19) blends 70 percent Grenache with 30 percent Syrah to produce a deeply hued wine whose aroma evokes dark cherries. Ample-bodied and rounded, the palate opens with earthy notes followed by a touch of anise. According to Raphaël, that licorice-like note comes from iron in the soil.
The Ardèche may be a quiet region, but Notre Dame de Cousignac’s wines stand out for their strong quality-to-price ratio, offering expressive, fruit-forward wines that deliver clear value.