Rasteau, Cairanne & Vinsobres 2021: report and top-scoring wines

Vinsobres

Though it often sits in the shadow of Cairanne and Rasteau, Vinsobres performed relatively well this year, and many of the wines have a good sense of freshness.

The characteristic angular tannins are quite marked, however, so give them a year or two, which will also help to further integrate any new oak, which has frequently been applied liberally here.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and score for top Rasteau, Cairanne & Vinsobres 2021 wines

See all 400 Rhône 2021 tasting notes and scores

See the Rhône 2021 full vintage report and top scoring wines

Cairanne

The upside for Carianne this year is its delicious whites, which are fresh and focused rather than the opulent style it sometimes delivers.

Cairanne’s reds lack juice and generosity this year however, lending them a sober, nordiste (or northern Rhône-like) style; especially since their tannins can be dry. Stick to the best terroirs and producers and you’ll find some pure and elegant wines which will drink well young.

See also – individual appellation analysis on:

Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Gigondas, Vacqueyras and Beaumes de Venise | Lirac and Tavel

Rasteau

Rasteau delivered a similar style to Cairanne – many producers in both appellations clearly struggled to ripen their reds. The result is rustic tannins and a green streak running through the wines.

Don’t expect bold, concentrated wines this year; the characteristic sucrosité of Rasteau isn’t always present in 2021.

Some growers succeeded in making interesting wines despite the challenges of the year, often in a fresh, compact, slightly herbal style.

Here and elsewhere, using a large proportion of stems can mark the wines excessively; as can new oak. Those who accepted the fragility of the harvest and dialled down their methods accordingly fared better.

Rhône 2021 score tables:

All top Rhône 2021 score table

Top-scoring southern Rhône 2021 score table

Top-scoring northern Rhône 2021 score table

Top-scoring 2021 red wines

Top-scoring 2021 white wines

Rasteau, Cairanne & Vinsobres 2021 key producers:

Domaine A Berthet-Rayne – Cairanne

Domaine Alary – Cairanne

Domaine Oratoire St Martin – Cairanne

Domaine des Amadieu – Rasteau

Domaine Pique-Basse – Rasteau

Famille Perrin – Vinsobres

Château de Rouanne – Vinsobres

Rasteau, Cairanne & Vinsobres 2021 top value wines:

Domaine A Berthet-Rayne, Castel Mireio, Cairanne

Domaine Alary, L’Estévenas, Cairanne

Domaine des Amadieu, La Copado, Rasteau

Domaine Pique-Basse, Rasteau

Famille Perrin, Les Hauts de Julien, Vinsobres

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Matt Walls’ top-scoring Rasteau, Cairanne & Vinsobres 2021 wines:

The wines below all scored 92 points or above, and are listed in order of Rasteau, Cairanne and Vinsobres, white then red in score order.

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Rhône 2021 full vintage report and top scoring wines