Counoise

The precise origin of Counoise is unknown, though it appears to have developed in the south of France, where the vast majority of the world's plantings remain today. A celebrated legend, recounted by 19th-century Provençal poet Frédéric Mistral, holds that Counoise was introduced into the vineyards of Châteauneuf-du-Pape from Spain by a papal officer as a gift to Pope Urban V during the Avignon Papacy in the mid-14th century. Counoise gained historical prominence at Château la Nerthe under Commandant Ducos in the late 19th century, and when France's AOC regulations were codified in the 1930s, the varieties Ducos had championed, including Counoise, comprised 11 of the 13 originally permitted Châteauneuf-du-Pape varieties. Genetic analyses confirm Counoise as a traditional Vitis vinifera variety native to southern France, with no confirmed parentage from other varieties identified to date.

• Mentioned prominently in the vineyards of Château la Nerthe under Commandant Ducos, who played a key role in shaping the Châteauneuf-du-Pape region in the late 19th century
• When the AOC laws were passed in the 1930s, the varieties planted by Ducos, including Counoise, formed 11 of the original 13 permitted varieties
• DNA analyses by INRAE Montpellier confirm Counoise is a distinct variety, separate from Aubun, with which it was historically confused and often planted together in field blends
• Formerly known as Moustardier in the historical vineyards of Gigondas and Tavel

Counoise is grown primarily in the southern Rhône Valley, with additional plantings across Provence and the Languedoc. It thrives in hillside, warm, and stony terroirs, performing best in sites with intense sun and good drainage. The variety is also permitted and planted in Gigondas, Tavel, and various Côtes du Rhône appellations. Outside France, the most significant acreage is in California, where all known plantings descend from Tablas Creek Vineyard stock imported from Château de Beaucastel in 1990. Washington State and Oregon's Columbia Valley AVA have also seen growing interest, and isolated experimental plantings exist in Australia.

• Primary home is the southern Rhône Valley, with Châteauneuf-du-Pape as its most famous appellation, though plantings occupy less than 1% of the appellation's total area
• Also grown in Gigondas, Tavel, Provence, and the Languedoc, where its high acidity and light body make it well suited to rosé production
• Tablas Creek Vineyard in Paso Robles, California, was the first U.S. producer to plant Counoise in 1990; California's roughly 60 acres represent the only significant acreage outside France
• Washington State producers including McCrea Cellars, who planted Counoise from Tablas Creek cuttings in 2000, and Columbia Valley producers have made varietal bottlings

Counoise is often described as peppery and spicy, with a vibrant aromatic character featuring red and wild berry fruits such as strawberry, raspberry, and blueberry alongside notes of anise, flowers, and subtle earthiness. On the palate it is medium-bodied with lively, refreshing acidity, soft tannins, and a silky texture. Its most important blending attribute is arguably its high acidity: Tablas Creek describes adding Counoise to a blend as analogous to squeezing lemon onto food, where it brightens and lifts the flavors of its blending partners without necessarily making its presence obvious. The light color and moderate alcohol typical of the variety have historically discouraged wider varietal use, though California producers have increasingly embraced it as a solo wine.

• Primary aromatics: white pepper, strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, anise, and floral notes
• Palate signature: medium body, lively acidity, soft tannins, and a spicy, fruit-forward character
• A lack of deep color and firm tannin structure makes it more suited to early drinking in varietal form, though it adds longevity and freshness to blends
• In blends, its high acidity and oxidative tendencies complement reductive varieties such as Syrah and Mourvèdre

In Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Counoise is used almost exclusively as a blending component, typically at low percentages alongside Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Syrah. Château de Beaucastel includes around 10% Counoise in its flagship red and a significant proportion in its prestige Hommage à Jacques Perrin cuvée, aging the variety in large oak foudres to preserve freshness and avoid over-oaking. Because Counoise is prone to oxidation in the cellar, careful winemakers ferment it in closed vessels and avoid extended oxygen exposure. In California, Tablas Creek and others have produced occasional varietal bottlings, often using Counoise's bright fruit and acidity to make wines enjoyable in their youth.

• Typically used at 5 to 10% in Châteauneuf-du-Pape blends; Beaucastel is the leading champion with roughly 10% plantings devoted to the variety
• Prone to oxidation in the cellar; best fermented in closed vessels and aged in large, neutral foudres to maintain freshness
• Its oxidative tendency makes it a natural complement to reductive varieties like Syrah and Mourvèdre in classic Rhône blends
• Domaine de Monpertuis in Châteauneuf-du-Pape produces a rare varietal Cuvée Counoise, one of the few monovarietal expressions from the appellation

Château de Beaucastel is the most celebrated advocate for Counoise in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with approximately 10% of its vineyards devoted to the variety. Counoise features in both the estate's flagship red and its benchmark Hommage à Jacques Perrin, a blend centered on Mourvèdre with Grenache, Syrah, and Counoise, first produced in 1989. Domaine de Monpertuis (Paul Jeune) is notable for producing one of the appellation's rare varietal Counoise cuvées. In California, Tablas Creek Vineyard, co-owned by the Perrin family of Beaucastel, has released occasional varietal bottlings since 2002 and includes Counoise at 5 to 25% in several of its Rhône-style blends. Washington State producers such as McCrea Cellars have also worked with varietal Counoise.

• Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape: roughly 10% Counoise in the blend; the estate grows all 13 traditionally permitted varieties
• Château de Beaucastel Hommage à Jacques Perrin: prestige Mourvèdre-dominant cuvée including Counoise, produced only in the best vintages since its debut in 1989
• Domaine de Monpertuis (Paul Jeune): one of the very few producers to bottle a varietal Cuvée Counoise from Châteauneuf-du-Pape
• Tablas Creek Vineyard, Paso Robles: first U.S. planting in 1990 from Beaucastel cuttings; varietal bottlings released since 2002, with Counoise also used in Esprit de Tablas and Patelin de Tablas blends

Counoise buds 12 days after Chasselas and reaches full maturity approximately three and a half to four weeks after Chasselas, making it a mid-to-late-season ripener. At Tablas Creek in Paso Robles, harvest typically falls in mid-October, one of the latest of all Rhône varieties. The variety features large, round berries and relatively thin skins, and tends toward irregular yields due to fluctuations in fruit set. It is particularly well adapted to hillside, warm, and stony terroirs and is best trained in gobelet or with short pruning to manage its moderate vigor. Counoise is not very sensitive to downy mildew but is fairly susceptible to grey rot, requiring attention to canopy management in humid vintages.

• Bud burst approximately 12 days after Chasselas; full maturity 3.5 to 4 weeks after Chasselas, per INRAE Plantgrape data
• Large, round berries with relatively thin skins produce lightly colored wines; irregular yields due to fluctuating fruit set are a consistent viticultural challenge
• Particularly suited to warm, stony hillside terroirs; performs well in gobelet training with short pruning
• Fairly susceptible to grey rot; not very sensitive to downy mildew; late harvest timing requires good autumnal conditions for full ripeness