Cave de Rasteau
So finally I sit at my computer - Pierre has left for work and our two girls have been sent off to school. I look at our small garden in Avignon Intramuros to gather my thoughts. The lavender will bloom soon, the fig tree has its first small fruits and behind it the 200 year plus old stone wall of the house next to us. Weather is great here this morning, already 24C and deep blue sky. The Telematin news this morning announced Mistral of up to 100 km/h for tomorrow. Tells me that the weather up North is going to be bad. I have a serious backlog from our last wine tour up North and I will have to catch up on it. In other words, business as usual. Tout va bien.
Let's talk about Rasteau a bit. It's about 1/2 hour North of Avignon, in the middle of the Southern Côtes du Rhône wine country. One of the premier wine villages - together with Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Vinsobres and Cairanne. The beautiful area West of Mt.Ventoux, lots of historic villages, vineyards, country hotels, charming B&Bs, restaurants with shaded patios - my favorite area in the Provence, next to Avignon and Aix en Provence of course. Oh, I forgot about Châteauneuf du Pape, our most famous wine village here, quite close to Avignon.
To be frank, sometimes I have my doubts about the Appellation de Origin (AOC) system in France. Isn't it protecting the mediocre producers, simply because so many people still go by the AOC label rather than the quality of the winery? Isn't it holding back innovation? Last weeks PR disaster for Bordeaux wines in the "Re-Judgment of Paris" is a sign that certain vignerons continue to be either complacent and rest on their laurels or firmly rely on the supremacy of the French government administered AOC system. Statism is a decease in Continental Europe, we have to get rid of it! The two times I have been to wine estates in the Bordeaux area, Pierre and I felt uncomfortable. We were out of place there, driving with our dusty Citroen Scenic into the gravelled courtyards of the chateaux. It was an intimidating experience to step into the sacred temples of wine and being greeted with hardly disguised raised eyebrows. Quite a different story here in the Provence. Even at the top wineries here, including Châteauneuf du Pape, people are friendly, down to earth and it is easy to speak with the owners.
Back to the Cave de Rasteau. Many wine lovers have reservations about wine cooperatives, so do I. But the wine business is now at a stage in France where it is "shape up or ship out". I think the Cave de Rasteau will be one of the winners due to the terroir and the consistent quality of the wines produced here. It is among the most prestigious wine cooperatives in the Southern Côtes du Rhône region. Its 80 vignerons produce roughly 60% of the appellation area's wines, mostly reds, some whites and rosés. 5% of the acreage is dedicated to the production of Rasteau Vin Doux Naturel, a natural sweet wine.
I have tasting notes for two wines from the Cave de Rasteau:
2003 Prestige Côtes du Rhône Village, Cave de Rasteau
Rich red color and a quite complex nose of fruit, such as blackberries with a touch of Provence spices and earth; a rich concentrated palate, moderately tannic with a reasonably deep finish. A big smooth wine, less rustic than you expect from a Rasteau. Grapes are 30% Syrah, 50% Grenache and 15% Mourvèdre from 40 year plus rootstock. Drink within 3 - 5 years. It retails at Euro 7,90 from the caveau.
2003 le "R" de Rasteau, Côtes du Rhône Village, Cave de Rasteau
Deep red color, a nose of blackberries with a slight touch of pepper and a rich full bodied palate. Slightly less tannic but definitely more rustic than the Prestige. Made of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah,and 10% Mourvèdre. Drink within 2 - 4 years. Retails at Euro 6,50 from the caveau. Why is it called le "R" de Rasteau? You guessed it, because Rasteau starts with an R.
Two very nice reds to put in ones wine cellar at still reasonable prices. Enjoy with a good Porterhouse steak. If you are here in the Provence a Gardianne de Taureau would be great, a beef stew from the wild Camargue cooked in red wine with black olives and fresh Provençal herbs.
Eve Collins said:
Hi Patrick,
the Cave de Rasteau is the wine cooperative located in Rasteau at the roundabout of Rt.D975 (Orange - Vaison la Romaine). This is where the smaller producers are members.
Domaine Bressy Masson is not part of the cooperative but an independent estate. They are located outside the village proper, from Rasteau take Rt.D975 to Orange and turn right when you see their sign roughly 1 - 2 km after the roundabout. You cannot taste Domaine Bressy Masson’s wines at the cooperative, you have to go to their caveau. I was told by Marie-Fance there is always someone there during normal business hours (ring the bell). I tasted both of their reds there a couple of weeks ago. I could not resist and I bought some bottles of the reds for our wine cellar back home.
Eve
Patrick said:
Is the Cave de Rasteau co-operative in the village or what. and did you taste the Domaine Bressy Masson wines at the co-operative or at the vineyard?
posted on 2006-06-04 at 4:21 pm