Château de Rouanne Les Côtes Vinsobres 2021
A refined and impeccably elegant Syrah with rich flavours of black raspberry layered with graphite, charcoal, gingerbread and mineral salinity.
Château Rouanne is a hidden jewel of the southern Rhône’s cool Vinsobres cru. The northernmost of the southern Rhône crus, the Vinsobres appellation was only elevated to cru status in 2006. The Château’s single hillside block is somewhat reminiscent of Burgundy and Louis has identified and highlighted several unique lieu-dits. ‘Les Côtes’ is the vineyard site located at the highest point of the hillside. Its south-east aspect facing the rising sun instils vibrancy in the wines. The vines are planted in the Pliocene and Messinian clay-marl soils. The proximity of the Alps creates a cool micro-climate set within a warm, dry Mediterranean climate. Along with the Mistral wind, the Pontias wind picks up cold air as it crosses the Alps, and constantly cools the Eygues Valley beneath Château Rouanne. The vines are organically farmed and hand harvested.
The grapes underwent whole cluster, traditional fermentation in concrete tanks, with wild yeast. Following a gentle, minimal intervention vinification, the wine was aged in a combination of Burgundy casks and demi-muids for 12 months, of which 15% were new, 50% were second passage and 35% third passage. The wine was bottled without fining or filtration.
Château de Rouanne is a magnificent, historic estate located in the picturesque appellation of Vinsobres in the Rhône Valley. It was acquired in 2019 by renowned winemaker Louis Barroul of Château de Saint Cosme fame, who is renovating the historic Château de Rouanne and revitalising its vineyard. The estate boasts a contiguous vineyard of 62 hectares surrounding the Château, situated on a unique terroir with a distinctive geological profile of red clay, limestone marls and sand. The estate vines were planted between 1955 and 1975 and the massal selection of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre vines offer substantial genetic diversity, resulting in complex wines. The proximity of the Alps, which begin to rise just five miles away, creates a cool micro-climate, set within a temperate Mediterranean climate and imparts great freshness to the wines. Louis Barruol carefully crafts the wines using natural ferments to showcase the stunning terroir. The wines show incredible salinity - a hallmark of his signature style.
