Château de Rouanne is a historic estate with a 12th century medieval castle, situated on a classified Roman site located in the southern Rhône Valley. The name of the estate comes from "Rugius", which is said to be the name of the original Roman owner. The estate totals 177 acres (72 hectares), including 153 acres (62 hectares) of vines. Château de Rouanne was purchased by Louis Barruol, owner and winemaker of Château de Saint Cosme, in May of 2019. Barruol sees enormous potential in Château de Rouanne, having worked with the previous owners for years as a source for some of his négociant wines. “It reminds me a lot of Saint Cosme when I took it over in 1992. It’s an unknown sleeping beauty waiting for a vigneron to truly love it.”
The vineyard of Château de Rouanne is a unique single block, planted entirely with 50+ year old vines, which are a selection massale of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. The ancient terroir is comprised of limestone and sandy marl soils dating back to the Pliocene epoch.
This wine comes from the historical, geologic and viticultural heart of the estate: the Rouanne et les Crottes lieux-dit is a 2.1-hectare plot located in the middle of the Rouanne hill where the original Roman villa is thought to have stood. Remnants of tiles and ancient pottery are routinely found when the viticultural team ploughs the soils. Similar to other hilly wine regions like Burgundy, the center of the hill is regarded as the “Holy Grail” for quality due to the perfectly balanced drainage for the soil and ideal sun exposure – this dynamic is perfectly realized for Rouanne et les Crottes.
Tasting Notes
This wine possesses a majestic breadth and depth, yet still allows the verticality of the limestone and freshness of the salinity shine through. Harmonious balance of ripe strawberry, spicy gingerbread, and dried herbs.
Food Pairing
The distinctive freshness and saltiness of this Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre blend makes it easy to pair with both rustic and sophisticated dishes. The smooth, red-fruit character of the wines make it a great choice for tomato-based dishes such as ratatouille, while the richness from the Syrah also allow it to pair with lamb, venison or beef.