2019 Chateau de Rouanne Vinsobres Rhone Valley 750 ml

Rhône legend Louis Barruol has some of the region’s best vineyards at his fingertips, crafting wines from top sites in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Côte-Rôtie, and Hermitage. Yet Château de Rouanne was the longtime source that he HAD to have for himself.

The Château de Saint Cosme winemaker saw some magic in the property’s single block of 50-year-old vines. He even told Wine Spectator it reminded him of his iconic home estate, which Robert Parker said produces “some of the finest wines in the southern Rhône as well as France.” He purchased the property three years ago and wasted no time channeling that magic into this gorgeously expressive 2019 Vinsobres.

Complex yet light on its feet, the wine’s red-fruit and spicy olive aromas meld seamlessly with a palate of plum, wildflowers, smoked herbs, and minerality, all delivered with exemplary focus. Jeb Dunnuck found it “unquestionably outstanding,” and he’s not alone. Our Master Sommelier, Sur Lucero, called Rouanne’s 2019 “a benchmark for this category,” while Adam Chhibbane, wine director of MICHELIN three-star Quince, said it “proves the Southern Rhône can achieve grace and balance.”

A tiny subregion, Vinsobres has a mineral-laced terroir that’s perfect for Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. The cool climate and high elevation produce a level of liveliness and finesse that’s often lost in warmer climes, inspiring icons like Barruol and the Perrin family of Château de Beaucastel to buy land there.

To tap the region’s immense potential, Barruol borrowed from the Saint Cosme winemaking script that has yielded countless masterpieces: whole-cluster fermentation and aging in concrete, preserving fruit and earth notes in a delicate balance. His 2019 is dynamic now, yet will continue evolving over the next several years.