Domaine des Escaravailles "La Ponce" Rasteau '19

In the Occitan language, escaravaille means “beetle,” as shown on the winery’s labels, and the word was also a nickname, centuries ago, for the black-robed monks of the area’s Catholic monasteries. The history of Domaine des Escaravailles dates to 1953, when Jean-Louis Férran purchased several parcels of vines on the hillsides of Rasteau, Cairanne, and Roaix in the Côtes-du-Rhône area. He was later joined by his sons, Daniel and Jean-Pierre, and they eventually passed control to Daniel’s son, Gilles, in 1999.

The estate manages 65 hectares of vineyards, 40 of which are in the rocky, clay-limestone hillsides of Rasteau. The steep, south-facing slopes provide excellent exposure and drainage for the vines, and, at this high altitude, the nights are cooler, helping the grapes ripen slowly. The Grenache vines average 40–50 years in age, and the Syrah vines are 30–35 years old. The domaine practices sustainable viticulture, and the harvest is carried out by hand.

“La Ponce” is a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah, from a clay-limestone vineyard called “La Ponce,” behind the winery, and between 310 and 340 meters in altitude. The grapes are fully destemmed, and each parcel is fermented separately in concrete tanks. The Syrah is aged in old oak barrels and the Grenache in concrete tanks for 15 months. A beautiful Rhône red at a great price!