“Cuvee des lions”
2020
Cave de Rasteau – Southern Rhone

Cave de Rasteau – Ortas :

In the south of France sits the village of Rasteau, a small hilltop parish with a long history of winemaking. First established by the Romans in 30 BC, the hilly, south-facing slopes and smooth-pebbled soils of the region provide the ideal terroir for planting classic Rhone varietals like: Grenache, Mourvedre, and of course Syrah.

Cave de Rasteau is one of Côtes du Rhône’s oldest co-operative wineries. Founded in 1925, it now consists of a union of eighty growers managing over 700 hectares. Through their collective efforts these dedicated growers have earned progressive A.O.C. statuses over the years. The original A.O.C. Côtes du Rhône was given in 1937 and the A.O.C. Rasteau Côtes du Rhône Villages came in 1966. But In 2009, the region was granted the A.O.C. Crus des Côtes du Rhône, placing Rasteau amongst the inner circle of esteemed Southern Rhône A.O.C.s including: Vacqueyras, Gigondas, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

The Cave is committed to expressing the terroir of Rasteau and in particular the unique qualities of the old-growth vines found in many of the rocky vineyard sites. Volumes per acre have come down, the winemakers interfere less and less, picking is mostly by hand, and pest control is left, as much as possible, to nature’s agents. The end results are wines that are authentic, aromatic, well-balanced, and full of the character of Rasteau.