Community Tasting Note
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apple1813 Likes this wine: 90 points
April 14, 2022 - 2019 Chateau de Rouanne Vinsobres was well-structured and packed with Southern Rhone vibes of ripe fruits, garrigue and spices. The youthful Southern Rhône blend is clear and deep ruby in colour without any sediments. Freshly uncorked, there were expressive nose of ripe red cherry, strawberry, crushed violet and lavender. With four hours of aeration, it opened up notes of black pepper and olive tapenade.
The mouthfeel was dry and verging full-bodied, with medium levels of acidity and a rather high level of chalky tannin. There were flavours of kirsch, lilac, smoked meat and a vein of salinity in a medium spiced finish. The high 15% alcohol was a common trait of Grenache-dominant Rhône blend, but it did not feel overtly heavy. The empty bottle weighed 592 grams.
Chateau de Rouanne was a recent acquisition of Chateau de Saint Cosme in May 2019. It was an unbroken, 62-hectare vineyard at the edge of the Alps, planted to massal selections of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre with substantial genetic diversity. The complexity of viticultural work was an unimaginable quantum leap for Louis Barruol and his team, as their domaine holdings jumped from 32 hectares to 94. Despite that, they maintain their respectable quality and adhere to adaptable, organic farming principles.
The blend is composed of 50% Grenache, 40% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre. The soil is rich in marl and limestone. The grapes is co-fermented in concrete tanks. The wine is aged for twelve months in a combination of Burgundy casks and demi-muids. Readers interested in the winemaking philosophy from the perspective of the winemaker should read Louis Barruol's newsletter on the winery website.6 people found this helpful 1,245 views
4 Comments
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Mimesis commented:
11/6/22, 5:18 PM - “The empty bottle weighed 592 grams.” - Great!
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apple1813 commented:
11/6/22, 5:33 PM - @Mimesis I wish more producers will use light and sturdy bottles in the future to reduce the economic and environment costs from production and shipping.
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Decanting Queen commented:
8/13/23, 4:53 AM - Apple I am intrigued and impressed by your tracking of the bottles in this way. Fully agree that all the unnecessary weight going I to transport could be so easily avoided.
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apple1813 commented:
8/14/23, 9:44 AM - @Decanting Queen,
Thank you for your compliments. These tasting notes act like a time capsule. I can vividly recall the taste and texture of the wine, even if it was consumed a few years ago. I am glad that my fellow wine lovers on CellarTracker find these notes helpful sometimes.