Domaine André Brunel, located in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, is a classic southern France estate with much to offer modern consumers. In an era where wineries seek better ways to connect with Millennials and Gen Z, this French producer has easy-drinking wines, authenticity and sustainability that younger drinkers prefer.
I recently joined the head of the estate, Fabrice Brunel, for a wine lunch at L’Escale, an oceanfront spot in Greenwich, CT. This elegant French restaurant was an ideal backdrop for a winery whose roots reach back to 1779. The oldest existing vines on their property were planted in 1899. Lucien Brunel created Les Cailloux in 1954 and the Domaine was then known as Domaine Les Cailloux. Fabrice’s grandfather, André Brunel, took over and grew the winery’s vineyards and wine program, creating Domaine André Brunel in 1971.
Which is to say, there’s plenty of authenticity in every bottle. Likewise with drinkability.
“We want the fresh fruit, wines that are easy to understand, easy to drink, round tannins, wines that you can drink fast,” says Fabrice. “That’s what defines us. We make wines with the most concentration of fruit without the heaviness. That’s our style, our choice.”
“My dad was obsessed with what was the wine you could make with the most quality for $10,” he adds. Accordingly, you will not find any oak aging on the estate, keeping costs down and flavors subtle. André Brunel premiumizes in other ways. “We want to make wines for every occasion,” Fabrice says.
The lineup we sampled started with the André Brunel Cuvée Becassonne Côtes du Rhône 2023. At a suggested retail price of $18.99, this is meant as an entry-level white. Accordingly, it comes with a screwcap, a perceptive nod to younger consumers who drink better but less. The wine is a blend of 50% roussanne, 30% grenache blanc and 20% clairette. On the palate is plenty of white fruit, concentrated but not heavy, easy drinking and food friendly.
“The younger consumer is conditioned to order sauvignon blanc, especially New Zealand. They don’t know anything else,” Fabrice says. Here’s opportunity to hand sell an alternative. “Roussanne is a unique varietal,” he adds. “This bottle offers nice light fruit. People are fed up with rosé. They’re switching to whites. This is a good alternative. It’s a good French wine at a decent price.”
Up next was the Les Cailloux Blanc 2023 (SRP: $69.99). A blend of 70% roussanne, 20% grenache blanc and 10% clairette. It’s name, roughly translating to “the rounded sones,” reflects the pebbly terroir, depicted on the label as well. Again, concentrated white fruits are the star in an extraordinarily balanced and well-rounded palate.
Moving to the reds, we start with the Vin de Pays Grenache 2023 ($14.99). Beyond the title varietal, there’s also 10% mourvedre for balance. “This is for young people,” Fabrice says. “It’s easy to understand.” And easy to drink with its smooth fruit flavors, again concentrated yet subtle. A perfect paring for pizza or burgers, or summertime in general. The sort of affordable French bottle that retailers should recommend to younger drinkers.
Likewise for the Cuvée Est-Ouest Côtes du Rhône 2023. A blend of 70% grenache, 20% cinsault and 10% syrah, it’s a touch more concentrated in red fruit flavors than the prior bottle, but hardly overpowering. Another food-friendly, affordable French red that matched with my lobster roll, served hot and buttered.
Cuvée Réservée Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2022 — 70% grenache, 25% syrah and 5% mourvedre — saw the fruit flavors grow darker and deeper. Retail priced at $49.99, it’s positioned as a volume driver, competing with other Châteauneuf-du-Pape bottlings that have recently crept up towards $80 SRP, Fabrice explains.
The flagship for André Brunel is their Les Cailloux Rouge 2021 ($69.99). First bottled in 1954, this blend is 60% grenache, 27%, mourvedre, 10% syrah and 3% cinsault. Again, the name translates loosely to “the rounded stones,” reflecting the pebbly vineyard that’s depicted once more on the label. The most savory and full-bodied of the bunch, Fabrice recommended opening this bottle hours before consuming for proper aeration; he went as far as suggesting that consumers let the wine breathe overnight.
We ended with the estate’s grape gin Le Gin 13 ($59.99), a pleasant surprise for this spirits lover. Made with 13 botanicals, it’s juniper forward while still reflecting the local flavors of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and André Brunel.
In terms of sustainability, the estate has its The High Environmental Value (HVE), a certification that recognizes wineries with eco-friendly practices. This includes using no pesticides, and various methods to ensure the healthy longevity of the vineyards and their surrounding natural environment.
Altogether, André Brunel has something for seasoned and newer wine drinkers. This estate strikes the important balance between premium products for connoisseurs, while also providing an easy, attractive entrance for younger drinkers who want to get into the category.
Kyle Swartz is editor of Beverage Dynamics. Reach him at kswartz@epgacceleration.com. Read his recent pieces, 8 Beverage Alcohol Trends in 2025 and Our 2025 Spirits Growth Brands Awards Winners.
