Rouanne Brut Nature 2020
£19.95
The wine
A sparkling wine from the southern Rhône is an unusual thing, and this is made with no dosage whatsoever. Brut Nature means nothing is added after disgorgement, so there is no sugar to round off the finish and the wine stands or falls on the quality of its fruit and its acidity. Château de Rouanne was bought in 2019 by Louis Barruol of Château de Saint Cosme, who has been restoring the estate and its 62 hectares of Vinsobres vineyard ever since. The proximity of the Alps brings cool nights and a longer growing season than the southern Rhône usually allows.
The producer
Château de Rouanne
View all Château de Rouanne winesChâteau de Rouanne is a historic estate in Vinsobres, one of the southern Rhône's more overlooked crus. It was bought in 2019 by Louis Barruol of Château de Saint Cosme, who has been restoring the chateau and revitalising its vineyards ever since.
The estate holds 62 contiguous hectares surrounding the house, on a distinctive geology of red clay, limestone marl and sand. The vines were planted between 1955 and 1975, and the massal selections of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre carry substantial genetic diversity, which shows in the complexity of the wines.
The proximity of the Alps brings cool nights and a longer growing season than the southern Rhône usually allows, giving these wines an unusual freshness for their latitude.
