Rasteau: Your New Go-To Winter Red!

Words by Helena Nicklin

What have Harry Styles, Robbie Williams and Rasteau AOC wine got in common? 

You may have seen our One Minute Wine Ace piece on Côtes du Rhône recently, which likens this much-loved, southern French blend to a famous boy band, where each grape brings a particular personality to the mix. Well if Côtes du Rhône is the One Direction or Take That of wine, then Rasteau AOC is Harry Styles or Robbie Williams; the charismatic one gone solo to forge a brilliant career of their own. 

Located in the south-facing hills of France’s southern Rhône Valley, Rasteau was one of the 22 named villages forming part of the acclaimed ‘Côtes du Rhône Villages AOC’ appellation until its status was promoted further in 2010, elevating it to ‘Cru’ status with an AOC in its own right. AOC stands for Appellation d’Origine Controllée, which is a wine producing area with strictly controlled rules aimed at preserving quality. AOC is a step up from being a single part of Côtes du Rhône Villages AOC and Rasteau winemakers are deservedly very proud of their burgeoning solo career.

What is Rasteau AOC wine like? Christmas cake in a glass!

AOC Rasteau is for red, still wines only from approved parcels of vines. These reds are full-bodied and rich with concentrated bramble fruit, violet and cooking spice aromas and flavours along with spirity, dried fruit notes. They must be made with at least 50% Grenache which thrives in the poor soils of Rasteau, especially from the old vines there. Syrah and Mourvedre must also form at least part of the blend, but not more than 50%. Other southern French varieties such as Carignan may also be added to the blend for structure too.

It’s an appellation to get to know because it’s from that beautifully reliable part of France that makes rich, but not over-blown reds that are very accessible; a region for ‘every day hedonists’ like us, with wines that drink well when young, vibrant and fruity as well as being able to age impressibly well. The same can be said for Harry Styles, in case you were wondering.

Rasteau Wine Food Match

The rollicking reds of Rasteau were made to go with food. They love it and are so versatile! Whether it’s meat, from game to beef stew, cheese, cold cuts, grilled veg or even, dark chocolate fondant and lightly spiced Asian cuisine, Rasteau can handle a lot of flavours.

Why do I think Rasteau is sweet wine?

A fair question, as sweet wines in Rasteau go back a long way! In the 18th century, when the area under vine here was the largest in the Vaucluse, naturally sweet wines were the order of the day though there were dry wines too. After the phylloxera epidemic which decimated vineyards, Rasteau winemakers went back to producing naturally sweet wines, a.k.a. Vins Doux Naturels, or VDNs around 1935. You may also have heard of AOC Rasteau Rancio; a sticky brown VDN that has been exposed to oxygen and light in wooden barrels for up to two years. This new wave of post-war, sweeter wines were lauded enough to be granted their own AOC status while the dry wines of the village itself continued simply as part of the Côtes du Rhône appellation. It wasn’t until 1966 that the dry, still, red wines began to catch up, being elevated to ‘Côtes du Rhône Villages’ status, before earning their AOC ‘Cru’ status just ten years ago in 2010, effective from the 2009 vintage. 

Is Rasteau wine expensive?

The beauty of Rasteau is that it can feel hedonistic and indulgent, but doesn’t have to break the bank. You can get some very drinkable, easy-going Rasteau wines from around £10 but equally, if you want to go more premium for a special occasion or a gift, there are some seriously smart ones too. Below is a selection of hand-picked Rasteaus (Rasteaux?!) that cover all bases. Pop the cork and pour yourself a slice of Christmas cake...

Rasteau Tasting Tour

Domaine Escaravailles ‘La Ponce’, Rasteau 2017

A fabulously rich, fruity and well-structured wine with spice and a good bit of age on it. For the price, it’s a steal! Quite high in alcohol, so definitely one for those wintery meat stews or roast beef.

Find it for £9.99 from The Wine Society

M. Rasteau, Chapoutier, 2019

A youthful, concentrated and relatively simple red (in a good way), with vibrant forest fruit notes and a hint of spice. Lovely alone or with charcuterie and cheese.

Find it for £13.78 from gourmethunters.com

Rasteau 'L'Andéol', Famile Perrin, 2017

Made from 70-year-old vines by arguably the most famous family in the Rhone Valley, the Grenache and Syrah shine here with notes of dried herbs, dark plum and some ripe red fruit. Voluptuous and silky, this stands out in its price range. Another big food wine or one for by the fire.

Find it for £14.99 (mix six price) at Majestic

Chateau de la Gardine, Rasteau 2017

The one in the very quirky bottle! No, your eyes do not deceive you and neither will your palate. Big, bold and well-structured, this wine is showing its tannins, which are softening beautifully with age. Leathery and peppery, with notes of dark cherry, damson and violet, I’d have it with cheese or meat and get it in a decanter to air for a while before drinking. You will be rewarded!

Find it for £17.95 from Gerrard Seel

Domaine La Luminaille, Rasteau ‘Luminaris’, 2017

Find it for £19.99 from winebuyers.com

Your ABC Guide to Beaujolais

Words by Helena Nicklin

If you’re looking for a lighter style of red with all the flavour, then give Beaujolais a chance. As we celebrate Beaujolais Nouveau day (always on the third Thursday of November), Helena thought it was the perfect time to give you the lowdown on this retro wine style that is back with a bang!

Today, as I write, it is Beaujolais Nouveau Day; a pretty special time for the wine industry because it’s the day that the new vintage of Beaujolais Nouveau is released for sale. In the past, this release date has been combined with a mad dash to France to bring back the very first bottles fresh from the wine press and crack them open for brunch, as the ‘nouveau’ wine style is meant to be drunk very young, within months of bottling at the max. Today however, the flouncy, bubblegum nouveau style has fallen out of favour with wine lovers somewhat, who have turned their attention to the more sophisticated iterations of Beaujolais which, quite frankly, have been getting better and better every year. Here’s a quick guide to the various levels and styles of Beaujolais.

What is Beaujolais?

Beaujolais is a wine region (appellation) in the middle of France, located immediately below the Burgundy region, running from just south of Macon, almost to Lyon. Most Beaujolais wines are red and the grape used to make them is Gamay. You can get a few pinks and whites too made from Chardonnay, Aligoté and Gamay but it’s the reds that are famous. Generally speaking, Beaujolais red wine as a style is a little like Pinot Noir in terms of body, but has more of a ripe strawberry note and even softer tannins.

Beaujolais Nouveau

‘Nouveau’ means ‘new’. This is the bubblegum-like, sweet and simple style that’s often more like a boozy cordial than a wine. Part of the reason for this is the fact that it’s made with a process called carbonic maceration that smothers grapes with CO2 so they implode rather than being crushed. The juice is then gently run off, so it is not mixed with drying, textural tannins from the skins. It’s a wine that’s not made to be aged, so you should plan to enjoy a glass as soon as possible after it is bottled for the best experience of the fresh and juicy flavour. By the time next year’s batch is ready, this year’s bottles will already taste stale and tired. This nouveau style is not to be confused with what some might call ‘proper’ Beaujolais styles below:

Beaujolais ‘proper’

Nouveau novelty aside, Beaujolais is a serious wine region with three core levels of quality. The first is straight Beaujolais AOC, where grapes can be harvested from around all 96 villages of the region. Up a notch then is the mid-range Beaujolais-Villages AOC, which used grapes from the North of the region and from a designated 39 of the villages only. At the top of the quality tree are ten Beaujolais ‘Crus’ which are specific villages that are named on the label and each is know for its particular qualities, though all are made with Gamay. These villages are Saint-Amour, Juliénas, Chénas, Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Régnié, Brouilly and Côte de Brouilly.

Tasting Tour

Try these easy-to-find Beaujolais wines to see why they deserve to be on your shopping list!

Beaujolais-villages ‘l’Escarpe’ 2018, £5.99, Lidl

Tangy nose and a very fruity, raspberry-scented palate. Exceptionally easy drinking and only 12.5% abv.

Available in store. 

Beaujolais-villages, Reserve du Pizay, £8, Co-op.

Another very easy drinker, this time with some darker, more blackcurrant fruit thrown into the mix. Juicy and soft with a hint of spice and wild strawberry. This would be great slightly chilled.

Find it here. 

Chiroubles, Beaujolais Cru, 2018, £10, Co-op.

For a Cru, this is truly excellent value - and the bottle is gorgeous too. One of the more elegant Cru wines, this is silky and spicy with summer berry notes and not too heavy on the alcohol.

Find it here. 

Saint-Amour, Domaine Des Côtes de la Roche 2018, £10.95, The Wine Society.

An elegant ‘Cru wine and one of the lesser known ones, this is a light red that’s pronounced in flavour with both black and red cherry notes and very silky, but noticeable tannins. A good food Beaujolais.

Find it here.

Régnié, Julien Sunier, 2018, £21.50 from BBR

Lovely, vibrant, aromatic wine packed full of personality and crunchy, red apple and berry notes. Lots going on here. Worth the step up in price.

Find it here.

Jean Foillard Morgon, Cote du Py, 2017, £27.99 from thegrapestore.com

Exceptional, perfumed, silky, spicy light red with gorgeously ripe cherry and strawberry fruit. 

Find it here.

6 Zinfandels You Need To Discover

Words by Aidy Smith 

Zinfandel is one of my all-time favourite grape varieties. At 21 my foray into the world of wine began just outside of San Francisco, where I was living at the time. Lodi, Dry Creek (Sonoma) and Napa were literally just on the doorstep and so the insane Zin I was able to get in my glass really made me fall in love.

Fast-forward to today and I’ve constantly been on a mission to source some of the best in the UK. We aren’t as spoilt for choice as our friends over in the USA, however, slowly but surely we’re getting more big, bold, delicious Zinfandel on our shelves.

Today, I’ve put together a list of 6 must-discover beauties that are available to warm you up as we enter the Winter and whatever the remainder of the year has in store for us…! Buckle up and get ready for a Zinfandel hug. Quite possibly the most comforting grape variety on the planet.

2017 Oak Farm Zinfandel

Deriving from Lodi where almost 40% of California’s premium Zin call home, this is also one of the oldest-vine areas for the grape. Oak Farm has always been at one with nature, which is why you’ll find many of their vineyards certified as green and sustainable. Its name is a nod to the countless oak trees that have been growing at the property for centuries, even before 1860 when the wineries colonial-style house was originally built. To this day as you meander through the vines, colossal oak trees tower above.

This Zin comes from a select few vineyards in Lodi, one of which was planted in 1958 giving it that extra punch of depth and boldness. You can expect to find cedar oak, earthy cocoa and eucalyptus on the nose with dark meadow berries, blackberries and lashings of milk chocolate on the palate with violet.

ABV: 15%
Buy: £23.35 from James Hocking Wine

Joel Gott Zinfandel 2017  

I love Joel Gott for two reasons. Firstly, he makes exceptional wine (as we’re about to find out) and secondly his burgers are sensational – often pairing extremely well with the first reason.

As director of winemaking, Joel’s wife Sarah oversees the journey of every grape making its way into the bottle. As she was previously Head Winemaker at Joseph Phelps, you have high confidence this juice will be great too.

Ensuring a representation of California is experienced within, Sarah sources grapes from Amador, alongside Lodi for its old gnarly clusters of vines and Sonoma for a kick of red fruits and spice. Blended together, the result is a rich, jammy and juicy Zinfandel that soothes the palate from the first sip. Think roasted plum, blackberry and blueberry jam and baking spices with a great texture, slight acidity and a soft long finish.  

ABV: 14.5%
Buy: £16.50 from Help4Hospitality

McHenry Hohnen Hazel’s Vineyard Zinfandel 2013

Hold on a minute… an AUSTRALIAN Zinfandel from 2013?! Yep, you read both of those correctly. A distinct terroir and an older vintage for a fabulously affordable price. Now that’s definitely worth sipping on!

Zinfandel was first planted within the Margaret River region in 1972 and the McHenry Hohnen family decided to get their fingers stuck in since the very beginning, so they’ve had nearly half a century of experience with this stunning grape.  

Intense blackberries, cola and spiced vanilla oak sit on the nose with a candied meadow fruit jam, ripe red berries and a dusting of cocoa. All brought together with silky tannins and a smooth rounded mouthfeel.

If one of your relatives loves Primitivo or Zinfandel and you’re always worried about what to get them – you just found the perfect discovery gift.

Region: Margaret River, Australia
ABV: 14.5%
Buy: £21 from Fareham Wine Cellars

Napa Cellars Zinfandel 2016

Napa Cellars is exactly what its name suggests – a stunning representation of wines from the heard of Napa Valley. What we never usually get to explore in Napa (because it’s so Cab-predominant) is a good terroir-based example of Zin, so that’s where this beauty comes in. 

Hand-picked grapes are taken from a variety of the warmest vineyards in Napa Valley; including St. Helena, Yountville, Oak Knoll and Calistoga. Grapes from these warmer climates allow a more concentrated and complex flavour profile for this particular grape – so they do what they can to aid that.

The result? A big burst of stewed blackberries with clove, cassis and spicy black pepper. Blackberry bramble with brown sugar, figs and toasted vanilla oak sit on the palate. Juicy, weighty and bursting with dark flavours!

ABV: 14.9%
Buy: £23 from Vivino

Edmeades, Mendocino Zinfandel 2016

It was 1963 when Dr Edmeades planted his first 11 acres of vines in Mendocino. Just a few years later in 1988, Jackson Family Wines saw the quality of these vineyards and decided to make the Dr. an offer. He accepted.

What I love about JFW (Jackson Family Wines) is that quality is always at the forefront of what they do. I’ve never tasted a wine of theirs I haven’t enjoyed.

We’ve explored Zinfandel from multiple regions, but this one is from the cool, coastal vineyards of Mendocino County and is produced in only limited quantities each year.

You can expect a variety of fresh brambles and berries such as cherries, blueberries and ripe plums on the nose. Take a sip of you’ll find a slight smokiness with brown sugar, blueberry pie and vanilla. The lightest ABV on the list, but by no means lacking flavour.

ABV: 14%
Buy: £22 from Amazon

Apothic Red

OK, I’m cheating a little bit here as this is a blend of Zinfandel, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. BUT – in my defence, it’s a bloody beautiful and fantastic example of a mid-week wine around £10. Layers and layers of dark fruits are present throughout, like a baked meadow berry pie, complete with crust and brown sugar. There’s soothing velvety milk chocolate topped off with a kick of mocha and vanilla.

ABV: 13.5%
Buy: £9 from Tesco


Fancy reading more? Then, make sure you also check out 3 Awesome, Autumnal, Austrian Reds!

One Minute Wine Ace: Tempranillo

In the early hours of the morning, you spot him from your window. He’s back: the mysterious cowboy. The man is a legend in these parts and each town has a different name for him. You watch this alluring figure in faded leather boots as he unsaddles his horse. You spoke to him once: his voice was soft as velvet and sweet, like wild strawberry. He smelled of wood smoke mingled with fresh, vanilla tobacco. It has been a long time. He has aged well. 

Introducing Tempranillo, the early-ripening grape (‘temprano’ is Spanish for ‘early’) with notes of wild strawberry and liquorice, often tempered by cinnamon spice and leather from years of ageing in oak barrels. The result is a mellow, spicy wine that’s moreishly chewy. Think of comfortable, worn leather, tobacco and stewed strawberry fruit. Without the oak though, it’s rustic and medium bodied with ripe, bright red fruit. It’s very easy to love!

Fact!

While Tempranillo is now found all over the world, it has always been the flagship red grape of Spain, where it is responsible for 88% of vine plantings. It is the principal grape used in red wines from the famous Rioja and Ribera del Duero regions too. Our cowboy has many aliases, however, even in Spain where it’s also known as Tinto Fino, Cencibel, Ull de Llebre and Tinta del Pais. You may see it in Portugal too as Aragonez or Tinta Roriz. Who said wine was complicated?

Food Match

Tempranillo can handle earthier meats like roast lamb with lots of garlic, or anything with a tomato base, like lasagne. Barbecued meats in general work nicely as do grilled vegetables. It’s the smoke.

Helena’s oldie but a goodie. This time, you’ll remember what you learned!

TASTING TOUR

Tempranillo 1: Rioja

When you think of Tempranillo, your first thought should be Spain. Head straight to the region of Rioja and start with the younger versions before working your way up the age ladder: go from Joven (meaning ‘young’ in Spanish) to Crianza, then Reserva and, finally, Gran Reserva. The difference is the amount of time the wine has aged in oak and then in bottle before release. Both bottle and oak age increase as you move up the scale.

Try La Rioja Alta ‘Gran Reserva 904’, 2011

This fantastic producer hails from the Rioja Alta, Rioja’s largest subregion, where the Tempranillo is perfectly suited to the cooler climate thanks to the Atlantic climate and higher altitude. The 904 is only made a few times each decade and the 2011 version shows beautiful concentration with a perfume of tobacco, dark fruit, spice and prune. On the palate, it’s full but refreshing with fabulous ripe and dried fruit notes and a cool acidity. Worth splashing out on for Christmas!

Find it for £50 a bottle from Armit Wines and other retailers.

Tempranillo 2: Ribera del Duero

Stay in Spain, but mosey on over to Ribera del Duero: an exciting area for Tempranillo where wines traditionally have more body and power than those from Rioja thanks to slightly different geography.

Try Psi Bodegas y Vinedos Alnardo 2017

The modern wine world meets tradition here in this powerhouse of a wine from one of Ribera de Duero’s most celebrated winemakers, Peter Sisseck. Concentrated, brooding and intense, with lush, dark fruit tannins and spice. It’s the iron fist in the velvet glove. 

Find it at Corneyandbarrow for £27.25

Tempranillo 3: Douro

In Portugal’s Douro region, Tempranillo is known as Tinta Roriz. It’s one of the principal blending grapes in Port, but is now also making some stunning, still, dry wines that simply must be tasted.

Try Castrum Douro Red

Made by renowned producer Quinto do Crazto, this Tinta roriz wines shows what brilliant value Portuguese red wines can be. Think plum pudding in a glass with caramelized raisins. Delicious!

Find it at CO-Op for £10

Tempranillo 4: Australia

Various regions in Australia are now producing some delicious, juicy, red-fruited Tempranillo from the Margaret River region in the West all the way over to the Barossa Valley in the East.

Try The Hedonist Tempranillo, McLaren Vale

This one from McLaren Vale is meant to be a more youthful, soft and  juicy style, with vibrant red fruit  and liquorice flavours.

Find it at Fareham Cellars for £15.50 a bottle

Like this One Minute Wine Ace? Try our other pieces for Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and One Minute Wine Ace: Pinot Noir, One Minute Wine Ace: Sauvignon Blanc and Cotes du Rhone.

What's so good about old vines?

Depending on where you are in the world, what constitutes an old vine could be anything from ten years to a hundred! Follow Aidy and Helena as they share with you what old vines bring to wine and which wines you should try...

Enjoyed this? Why not check out Why the Cariñena Region Needs to be on your Radar and 5 Reasons to Try Garnacha

New No and Low Drinks for November

Sober October may be past but with lockdown and the festive season coming up, many of us are vowing to take it a little easier on the booze this time. Here are some great, new products that feel like a treat and in some cases, can actually do you good. 

SPIRITS ALTERNATIVES

Caleño Dark & Spicy

Fresh to the market is Caleño’s new baby: Dark & Spicy! We adored the original, with its infusions of inca berry and juniper - a perfect gin alternative perhaps, though very much of its own style. This new version does the same for lovers of dark rum. Think of riper, tropical notes of pineapple with a kick of ginger, vanilla pod and a twist of lime. They’ve nailed it!

Find it for £18 for 50cl at calendodrinks.com (with discounts for multiple bottle buys!) 

Warner’s Juniper Double Dry Gin - 0% ABV

Hats off to Warner’s for being the first English gin brand to bring out its own 0% ABV versions. Using 100% natural botanicals and 90% of their ingredients being sourced from their farm in Northamptonshire, its herbaceous and powerful with a kick or warm spice on the finish. Also try their Pink Berry version, which is packed full of red fruit and spice. 

Find it at 31Dover.com for £17.95 for 50cl

BUBBLES

Fortnum’s Sparkling Tea - 0.0% ABV

We talked about how much we loved Fornum’s sparkling rosé tea here and in our podcast, so it was great to get to try the white! Certified organic and a blend of eight teas, this version is subtle, fragrant and elegant with both tropical notes and more darjeeling-like tea flavours. Totally refreshing! It’s worth noting that this sparkling tea contains 150mg of caffeine per litre.

Find it at Fortnumandmason.com for £16.95

Good One, Craft Hard Soda - 4 % ABV

Hot on the trails of the hard seltzer trend, Good One is an English hard soda company with three, genuinely good flavours that taste natural, where so many others feel synthetic. Its sleek, vibrant, matte packaging makes it feel like a step up from a regular soda too. We particularly loved the raspberry, lime and basil but the cloudy grapefruit and thyme and the lime and cucumber are darn good too. Gluten free, vegan, lo carb and low calorie, there’s a lot to love about these.

Find mixed packs of 12 for £33 at haveagoodone.co.uk

BEER

Small Beer  - under 2.8% ABV

The Small Beer Brew Co. are going strength to strength with their low alcohol beers that are good for you (being under 3% and isotonic) and good for the planet. Given what could end up being a marathon of drinking over the next two months, wouldn't it be good to have a stash of these lower alcohol beers in the fridge? For a limited time from now until 20th Dec, they are also offering a 6-month gift subscription, compete with brilliant videos and a gift poach for under the tree!

Find the beers and the subscription pack at theoriginalsmallbeer.com

Bite-size Sherry Basics

Don't ignore Sherry because you once tasted the sweet stuff your Nan drinks. Real Sherry is a whole world of moreish deliciousness! In this video, Helena answers the big questions: What is Sherry? What makes Sherry unique and what are the keys styles of Sherry? All with Russian dolls with beards and a nice Vinalogy about a choir. And a dog. Happy Sherry Week! #SherryWeek

Why the Cariñena Wine Region Needs to be on Your Radar

Carignan, also known as Cariñena, Carinyena, Carignane, Carignano, Samsó, Mazuelo and more is a grape that hails from Aragón within the region of Cariñena in Northeastern Spain. This is a region with a culture so entwined in winemaking, it gave the grape its name. Join Aidy and Helena as they take you on a journey of discovery to find out more…

Enjoyed this? Then make sure you check out 5 Reasons to Try Garnacha and Your Two Minute Grape Guide to Carinena