Rasteau’s NEW LOOK
Decanter|October 2022
Thanks to changes in both consumer tastes and the climate, a gentler, more considered style of winemaking has led to a fresher, more elegant interpretation of this former powerhouse
MATT WALLS
Rasteau’s NEW LOOK

Imagine you went to a restaurant and ordered what you thought was a modest Burgundy, but it tasted like a great Bordeaux. Would you be disappointed? Even if what I received was technically a better wine, I think I would be. After all, quality isn’t the overriding criteria when I select a bottle of wine to drink; most of all, I’m thirsting for a specific style.

That’s why I’m sometimes wary when hearing about a change of direction in an appellation. Am I still going to find the wine I’m looking for in the bottle? Fortunately, the arrival of a fresher and finer interpretation of Rasteau is an entirely welcome development.

TOO CONCENTRATED

Cairanne and Rasteau sit at the heart of the Côtes du Rhône growing area on the east bank of the Rhône river. They share the southern face of a huge clay limestone hill, 10km across: Cairanne on the western half, Rasteau on the east. But the wines are very different.

While the reds from both appellations exhibit that classic sun-drenched generosity of fruit and body, Cairanne tends towards elegance, and Rasteau chooses power. And it is, to some degree, a choice. Rasteau naturally delivers ripe and concentrated wines, but local winemakers often work to accentuate these assets. Because this is what so many people love about Rasteau: its potency, its bounteousness.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة October 2022 من Decanter.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة October 2022 من Decanter.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من DECANTER مشاهدة الكل
Pepe Raventós
Decanter

Pepe Raventós

A single-minded commitment to sustainability and terroir, combined with business acumen and first-class communication skills, have made his one the most interesting (and divisive) names in Spanish wine. In the end, though, all he wants is for the land to speak through his wines

time-read
7 mins  |
February 2025
DO TORO - Tasting a land and its history
Decanter

DO TORO - Tasting a land and its history

In Spain's Castilla y León, DO Toro still offers the serious, powerful Tinta de Toro that established its reputation - as well as elegant, refined expressions and even organic white wines

time-read
5 mins  |
February 2025
SPANISH ICONS
Decanter

SPANISH ICONS

For decades, there were just a few wines regarded as Spain's most revered. Recently, these have been joined by a growing cast of modern-day powerhouses that have risen rapidly to win the hearts of critics and collectors alike. Read on to discover the 10 Spanish wines you should try before you die

time-read
10+ mins  |
February 2025
Wine myths debunked
Decanter

Wine myths debunked

Accepted wisdom isn't always especially wise. Here are four examples from the world of wine

time-read
3 mins  |
February 2025
HUGH JOHNSON - 'I've often tried offering a little First Steps in Tasting'
Decanter

HUGH JOHNSON - 'I've often tried offering a little First Steps in Tasting'

There are a few bottles in my gradually dwindling cellar here that have question marks over them.

time-read
2 mins  |
February 2025
THE CAMINO - A food & wine guide
Decanter

THE CAMINO - A food & wine guide

Quite possibly the world's most popular Christian pilgrimage route, the Camino de Santiago conveniently passes through some of northern Spain's best wine- and food-producing regions

time-read
7 mins  |
February 2025
Pink gins for Valentine's Day
Decanter

Pink gins for Valentine's Day

Turn on the romance with a pre-dinner cocktail concocted from one of these rosy spirits

time-read
2 mins  |
February 2025
PUTTING DOWN ROOTS
Decanter

PUTTING DOWN ROOTS

Why a range of Italian grape varieties are flourishing in Australia's soils, and what the future holds for them

time-read
9 mins  |
February 2025
Rhône 2023
Decanter

Rhône 2023

In a year that was respectively 'challenging' and 'troublesome' in south and north, it will be vital to follow expert advice when it comes to finding the wines that you'll enjoy. The effects of some extreme swings in the weather were quite localised, however, so there are plenty of good wines to be found. Our Rhône expert Contributing Editor tasted 1,250 wines in all - here's a selection of 45 of his top picks

time-read
10+ mins  |
February 2025
Plaimont
Decanter

Plaimont

Preserving the wisdom of the past - to shape the wines of the future

time-read
4 mins  |
February 2025