Notre Dame des Pallières Rasteau “Les Ribes”
WHY WE LOVE IT
- Sourced from the Roux family’s 13 hectares of vines grouped at “Ratanaud” at the top of the hill that shares the valley of the Aygues and Ouvèze.
- These old vines planted in the brown marls, covered with pebbles, enjoy the summer of cooler nights due to the altitude (+ 360m). This is a no holds barred, wild ride of a Rasteau.
Varietal Composition: 70% Grenache, 15% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 5% Cinsault
Elaboration: The old vine stocks are manually harvested at full maturity. Graining and bottling, with a long maceration (more than 30 days) with temperature control, load shedding and pumping over, the vat is drained and pressed the marcs takes place, we keep apart these press wines which will be assembled with the “Drop” in the spring. Aging in concrete vats for 60%, the rest in French oak barrels (of 3 and 4 wines); these two cuvées will be assembled before bottling.
Tasting Notes: This wine has a pretty purple color, a beautiful intensity, with some amber highlights. The nose is intense, marked by notes of black fruits and spices accompanied by some notes of mocha. The palate is full-bodied, round, the tannins are melted, we note a good length on notes of ripe fruit.
PRESS
2016 – 91 Jeb Dunnuck | 92 Wine Advocate | 93 Wine Enthusiast “Editors’ Choice”
2017 – 89-91+ Jeb Dunnuck
2018 – 90 Wine Enthusiast
2019 – 91 Decanter | 90 Wine Enthusiast
ABOUT THE WINERY
Domaine Notre Dame des Pallières is a very old family estate, whose name comes from a place of pilgrimage visited by the Provençal people in the middle ages who believed that the fountain on the property would protect them from the plague.
Claude Roux and his cousin Jean-Pierre have so many generations of Gigondas wine making experience in their family that they don’t know exactly how many of their relatives have been involved up to now – Antique writings suggest that this Domain existed in the 900’s. Fortunately this tradition is continuing with Claude’s children, Isabelle and Julien, gradually taking over the day to day responsibilities of farming, production, and administration.
Vineyard holdings total 74 acres in Gigondas, Sablet, and Cotes du Rhone.
When asked about their methods they smile and explain that they are simply following the traditional methods of the family members that came before them.