Basking in the glow of Rasteau (#Winophiles)

Here in the Northeast U.S., where fall temps are dipping below freezing overnight, sipping Rasteau wine is like nestling into a warm, sunny spot out of the wind.

The comparison is apt, I believe, when you consider the hot, dry Mediterranean climate in the Southern Rhone village of Rasteau and how the south-facing vineyards retain heat and shelter the vines from the cool Mistral wind.

What a pleasure to open these distinctive wines anytime, of course. But with the chill of winter and upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, now feels especially right for basking in their glow.

I’m grateful to Michelle at Rockin Red Blog for the opportunity to try these wines for the first time and to Liz at What’s in that Bottle? for hosting the French Winophiles chat about Rasteau on Saturday, Nov. 16. The spouse and I had a couple of “whoa!” moments over the dinner table this past week. Looking forward to hearing other reactions. Hope you’ll join us for the Twitter chat starting at 11 am ET. Simply follow the #Winophiles hashtag.

Please note that while the wines for this post were provided, opinions are my own.

The region
Rasteau is a hilltop village some 650 feet above sea level. The geographically bound AOC (appellation d’origine contrôlée) vineyards extend across a major part of the village in the Vaucluse department.

Vines were likely growing in Rasteau as early as 30 BC, but the vineyards remained largely forgotten until the Middle Ages, when interest in winegrowing was revived by the ecclesiastical communities. By the 18th century, the Rasteau vineyards were best known for their Vins Doux Naturels (naturally sweet wines). Then the phylloxera epidemic struck grapevines throughout France and all was lost for a time.

In 1966, the dry red wines produced in Rasteau were promoted to Côtes du Rhône Villages DOC status. In 2010, in recognition of high quality, Rasteau dry reds were elevated to a Cru in their own right.

Rasteau DOC dry reds must contain at least 50% Grenache, a vigorous and drought-resistant grape that suits the terroir. Syrah and Mourvèdre may be added to Grenache to produce a balanced wine. Syrah, famously used for the crus of the northern Côtes du Rhône, is the most recent addition to Rasteau DOC.

Varied soils – clay/limestone, sparse soils over marl, and red soils on sandstone – give Rasteau wines their structure and finesse. Many parcels are covered in rounded river stones, known as galet rouge, carried down from the Alps in prehistoric times when the glaciers melted. These pebbles retain heat well, storing it by day and releasing it to the vines at night to produce concentration of flavors in the grapes. The vines develop strong root systems because they have to dig deep into the soil to find the nutrients they need.

Source: Vins-rhone.com

The wines
2017 Domaine Elodie Balme Rasteau AOC
Grenache 50%, Syrah 25%, Mourvèdre 15%, Carignan 10%

At just 19 years old, Elodie Balme quit her job in sales to study viticulture and enology. As part of her schooling, she interned with Marcel Richaud, one of the pioneers of biodynamics in the Southern Rhône. With his encouragement, she founded her own winery in 2006 at the age of 23. She farms 100% organically and uses only copper and sulfur to treat the vines. In the cellar, she employs a close-to-natural winemaking method: native yeasts, no added acid, no added sulfur dioxide to preserve the wine, and very light filtration only if necessary. Her wines are aged in 90% egg-shaped concrete tanks and 10% barrels.

My tasting notes: Deep ruby in color. A nose of dark cherry, fig and anise gives way to a palate of cranberry and spice with candied fruit (but not sweet) notes at the end. Medium acidity. Medium body. Long finish. Intense, elegant and powerful. A profile like this one is bound to blend seamlessly into a traditional Thanksgiving meal. This wine was the first of the four samples we opened and definitely a “Whoa!” moment. At 15%, high in alcohol but balanced enough to handle it. Average price: $24

2016 Famille Perrin L’Andéol Rasteau AOC
80% Grenache; 20% Syrah

Famille Perrin is a leading wine producer and négociant in the southern Rhone. The Perrin family has been making wine in the region since the early 1900s, when scientist Pierre Perrin inherited the Château de Beaucastel estate. Perrin’s grandchildren, François and Jean-Pierre, founded the Famille Perrin business together before passing on the reins two years later to the fifth-generation Perrin, Pierre, in 1999. Famille Perrin uses organic and biodynamic approaches in its vineyards.

My tasting notes: Ruby in color. Slightly lighter in color and body than the Elodie Balme. Dark cherry and anise on the nose, followed by sour cherry, cranberry and herbs on the palate. Surprisingly “Whoa!” acidity (medium+). Medium body. Medium+ finish. Food friendly and approachable. Alcohol: 13.5% Average price: $25

2016 Domaine Mikael Boutin M.B Rasteau AOC
60% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, 10% Carignan, 10% Cinsault

Not much is published about this small producer who has garnered top awards in years past. Boutin grows his grapes organically on clay-limestone soils and hand harvests them. He uses wild yeast and ages his wine eight months in a concrete vat, then bottles it unfined. It may be filtered.

My tasting notes: Ruby in color, lighter than the two previous samples. Leather and dark cherry on the nose; fig, herbs and anise on the palate. Earthy. Medium+ acidity, only slightly less than the Famille Perrin. Medium body. Medium+ finish. Alcohol: 14.5%. Average price: $15. Great value for price!

2016 Domaine La Font de Notre Dame Le Chêne Rasteau AOC
Grenance 80%, Mourvèdre 10%, 5% Syrah, 5% Cinsault

Domaine La Font de Notre Dame is an old family estate run by the Roux family, whose name comes from a pilgrimage site that the Provençal people visited during the Middle Ages to protect them from the plague. The winery is based in Gigondas in the Southern Rhone. Its vineyards in Rasteau consist of 80-year-old vines planted on clay soil with an abundance of heat-retaining galet rouge. The wine is aged in tanks and 25% French oak barrels (3 to 5 years old).

Tasting notes: Lightest ruby color of the four samples. Slightly aromatic nose of dark cherry and anise; sour cherry and anise on the palate. Medium acidity. Medium body. Medium finish. Alcohol: 14.5%. Average price: $21.

The pairings
These warm, hearty and gamey wines desire meat, roasted vegetables, herbs and spices. I was all too happy to comply with their wishes. Here are three success stories:

• Homemade pizza with tomato pesto, Genoa salami, roasted red peppers and manchego and asiago cheeses. What I love about homemade pizza is it’s a blank slate. I used ingredients hanging around the fridge. The Rasteau didn’t care that we crossed borders.
• Basque lamb stew – I traveled southwest to the Basque country between France and Spain for this marinated lamb stew recipe. I’m loving the pun of “Basque-ing” in the glow of Rasteau! That’s what we did, though. Delish!
• Shiitake mushroom risotto – “Show some courage,” I said to myself as I attempted a risotto for the first time in a long while. Glad I did. The recipe on this page, with roasted onions and shiitake mushrooms, is a winner. Why not prepare it for Thanksgiving instead of stuffing and serve alongside your Rasteau? You won’t be sorry.

If you need further convincing to give Rasteau a go, check out the rest of the Winophiles’ posts:

• Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Cam Shares “A Birthday Tradition + Side-by-Side Sips of Domaine de Verquière Rasteau”
• Cathie from Side Hustle Wino “Getting to Know the Wines of Rasteau”
• David from Cooking Chat Writes About “Chicken Lentil Stew and Rhone Wine from Rasteau”
• Deanna from Asian Test Kitchen tells us how to “Become a Rasteau—farian”
• Gwendolyn from Wine Predator says “Go Grenache, Go Rasteau”
• Jane from Always Ravenous Writes About “Flavors of Provence Paired with Rhône Rasteau Wines”
• Jeff from Food Wine Click Explains “Rasteau and the Côtes du Rhône Quality Pyramid”
• Kat from The Corkscrew Concierge Explain How She is “Expanding my Rhône Valley Palate with Rasteau Wine”
• Liz from What’s in That Bottle Says, “You Like Big Reds? Get to Know Rasteau”
• Lynn from Savor the Harvest writes about “Rhone Valley Rasteau Cru – A New Generation Wine With Duck Confit #winophiles”
• Martin from Enofylz Writes About “Getting To Know Rasteau”
• Nicole from Somm’s Table Shares “Five Nights of Rasteau”
• Pinny from Chinese Food & Wine Pairings Writes About “One Rabbit, Two Turkey Drumsticks and Four Rasteau Wines”
• Payal from Keep the Peas writes about “Rasteau: Not So Rustic in the Southern Rhone”
• Robin from Crushed Grape Chronicles writes about “Fall, Thanksgiving and the flavors of Rasteau”
• Rupal from Syrah Queen writes, “Rasteau –  Exploring The Gems of Southern Rhone”
• Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm Shares “A German-Style Shepherds Pie with a French Rasteau”