In 1988, Isabelle and Arnaud Guicharde acquired this estate in the hamlet of Derboux, near Mondragon. The young couple, passionate for a career as wine producers, sought to make the finest Cotes du Rhone possible. Vines were first planted here in 1960 but the Guichardes reorganized the 15 hectare vineyard to take better advantage of the soils and exposition. The estate sits on a high plateau at the top of the Massif d’Uchaux, making it ideally situated for the ripening of grapes. Indeed, the plateau was recently granted its own appellation status, in recognition of its exceptional terroir. Sixty percent Grenache and forty percent Syrah is planted on sloping, sandy-limestone soil. About one hectare of Grenache Blanc and Gris is used for the Cotes du Rhone Blanc. The vines are severely pruned and the rows are plowed. The grapes are all harvested by hand and then carefully sorted. The Guichardes have installed a modern winery with temperature controlled stainless steel tanks in which the wine is fermented. Each cepage is vinified separately, assembled in the Spring and then aged in concrete cuves before bottling. The Guichardes have also constructed an air-conditioned bottle storage and shipping room. The Guichardes aim for intensely fruity, juicy, and spicy medium-bodied wines which are meant to be enjoyed on release, or with up to about five years of bottle age.

The basic Cotes du Rhone is a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah. It is a grapey and flavorful wine with flavors of black, fruit, licorice and spice. It is an extremely versatile red wine. Cuvee Genest, Cotes du Rhone Villages Massif d’Uchaux Cuvee Genest has 5% more Syrah , undergoes a longer cuvaison, and is bottled without filtration. This wine goes best with robust foods and cheeses. In his book Wines of the Rhone Valley, Robert Parker writes: "Arnaud Guichard has burst on the scene with deliciously fruity, ripe, round and generous Cotes du Rhone (wines)” and gives the domaine a **** (excellent) rating. The Revue du Vin de France extols the Cuvee Genest, commenting that it “presents itself as a fruit-driven wine, very adeptly realized.”