Rasteau, Cairanne & Vinsobres 2019: Report and top scoring wines
Matt Walls found mixed results when tasting the 2019 wines but says there are consistent, fresh and expressive whites to be found in Cairanne and balanced reds in Vinsobres.
Overextraction is a common problem in Rasteau this year, which is particularly regrettable since it’s avoidable. The result is a lot of very burly, unfriendly tannins.
Scroll down to see Matt’s top Rasteau, Cairanne & Vinsobres 2019 tasting notes and scores
Some wines will come round in time – many I tasted were only part-way through barrel maturation after all, so will further soften before bottling.
But for those who’ve met the challenges of the vintage successfully, 2019 was a very good year. Julie Paolucci of Domaine la Luminaille is optimistic: she predicts ‘this vintage will age well thanks to its body and acidity.’
In Cairanne, it’s a very opulent vintage, with flowing, liqueur fruit flavours. They are only rarely jammy or raisined, but even the best wines have a warming potency. White wines, which can be picked earlier without having to wait for the same degree of phenolic ripeness as reds, are more consistent. They are ripe and expressive with purity of expression.
Naturally fresher terroirs – such as Vinsobres – are a good place to look for balanced wines this year. The rich, ripe fruit benefits from the edgier acidity and salinity that this terroir provides.
Quick links
Individual appellation analysis and top-scoring wines:
Gigondas, Vacqueyras & Beaumes de Venise
Key producers in 2019
Domaine Alary
Domaine des Amadieu
Domaine Chaume-Arnaud
Domaine les Grands Bois
Domaine la Luminaille
Domaine Roche
Value picks
Domaine de Dionysos Cairanne ‘La Cigalette’ 2019
Domaine les Grands Bois Cairanne ‘Maximilien’ 2019
Domaine Brusset Rasteau ‘La Bastide’ 2019
Domaine la Luminaille Rasteau ‘Garance’ 2019
Tardieu-Laurent Rasteau ‘Vieilles Vignes’ 2019
Domaine Chaume-Arnaud Vinsobres 2019
Domaine Alary Cairanne blanc ‘Jean de Verde’ 2019
See Matt’s top Rasteau, Cairanne & Vinsobres 2019 tasting notes and scores
See also
Rhône 2019 En Primeur: Full report plus top scoring winesNorthern Rhône 2019 report plus top scoring winesSouthern Rhône 2019 report plus top scoring wines
Domaine Chaume-Arnaud, Vinsobres, Rhône, France, 2019
A glorious nose - cherry blossom, raspberry and redcurrant coulis - I could smell this all day. Intense but not heavy with a great sense...
2019
Domaine Chaume-ArnaudVinsobres
Domaine de Montine, Vinsobres, Rhône, France, 2019
A round, fruity, juicy example of Vinsobres, all destemmed. Lovely driving, intense acidity and good salinity. Real freshness and direction. Very well balanced and fresh....
2019
Domaine de MontineVinsobres
Domaine Alary, L'Estevenas, Cairanne, Rhône, France, 2019
It's a hot year, but Estévanas is still immediately recognisable from a sniff alone - a cardamom and coffee bean note underneath the smoky Syrah....
2019
Domaine AlaryCairanne
Domaine Alary, Jean de Verde, Cairanne, Rhône, France, 2019
Very full-bodied, deep and generous. Good sense of freshness in both aroma and texture, this has a little saline twang and a purity that make...
2019
Domaine AlaryCairanne
Domaine Les Grands Bois, Eloïse, Cairanne, Rhône, France, 2019
More of the deep, liquorice and blueberry, dark floral Mourvèdre tones. Very smooth, very deep, very unctuous. Fine tannins are all melted into the fruit....
2019
Domaine Les Grands BoisCairanne
Domaine Les Grands Bois, Maximilien, Cairanne, Rhône, France, 2019
Has that Mourvèdre 'black flower' aroma, deep, dark, earthy yet floral. Soft, deep, very concentrated, just a little unstructured for this weight of fruit. Amazing...
2019
Domaine Les Grands BoisCairanne
Domaine Romain Roche, La Bousquette, Cairanne, Rhône, France, 2019
Strong liquorice side to the fruit. Very full and generous, very rich, deep fruit. Acidity is quite marked, very ripe tannins, not the finest, but...
2019
Domaine Romain RocheCairanne
Domaine La Luminaille, Grenat, Rasteau, Rhône, France, 2019
Smells like a plum and damson crumble, sticky and tangy dark fruits. Wonderful combination of freshness and concentration, really vibrant, with good acidity and fine,...
2019
Domaine La LuminailleRasteau
Domaine Brusset, La Bastide, Rasteau, Rhône, France, 2019
Flowing, ample, intense, generous style. The Mourvèdre works really well in this blend, it doesn't have the hardness of Syrah's tannins, which is a benefit...
2019
Domaine BrussetRasteau
Domaine Beau Mistral, Sélection Vieilles Vignes, Rasteau, Rhône, France, 2019
Really spicy expression, a touch of cayenne pepper to the fruit on the nose. Salty, spicy palate - smart oak work on this wine. Vibrant...
2019
Domaine Beau MistralRasteau
Domaine de Verquière, Cuvée 1928, Rasteau, Rhône, France, 2019
Quite an oaky style, very full-bodied. Something of a monster, with deeply ingrained vanilla and cedar into the thunderous black fruits. Tannins are muscular, powerful....
2019
Domaine de VerquièreRasteau
Domaine des Amadieu, La Copado, Rasteau, Rhône, France, 2019
Lovely fresh spiciness to the nose, cinnamon and black cherry. Really fresh and lively example, vibrant. All very defined and drinkable, this is delightful, and...
2019
Domaine des AmadieuRasteau
Domaine des Escaravailles, Héritage 1924, Rasteau, Rhône, France, 2019
Violets, blackberries, blueberries, liquorice. There's a sweetness to the fruit that coats the palate and the squeezy tannins. Long finish. Very ripe, very pure Rhône...
2019
Domaine des EscaravaillesRasteau
Domaine La Luminaille, Garance, Rasteau, Rhône, France, 2019
Vibrant menthol, rosemary nose. Fresh, fluid, not too thick or tannic. More gently extracted than most this year, and it really helps, producing a medium-bodied,...
2019
Domaine La LuminailleRasteau
Domaine Les Grands Bois, Marc, Rasteau, Rhône, France, 2019
Deep-set incense and spice to the deep blackberry fruit, a touch of cedar and nutmeg. Full-bodied but not massive, this is very well judged, balanced...
2019
Domaine Les Grands BoisRasteau
Tardieu-Laurent, Vieilles Vignes, Rasteau, Rhône, France, 2019
Fresh, defined berry fruits on the nose and palate, really fresh and vibrant palate, very clean and expressive. Very dark flavour profile, very well balanced....
2019
Tardieu-LaurentRasteau
