Domaine Vallot Côtes du Rhône ’21

Founded five generations ago, Domaine Vallot is one of the oldest domaines in the Côtes du Rhône. Its modern business was created by François Vallot, who is a fourth-generation vigneron. With an exceptional natural climate and a strong passion for quality, he was an early adopter of the organic and biodynamic practices in the Southern Rhône. He began working organically in the early 1990s, and his vineyards gained official certification from Ecocert in the difficult 2003 vintage, which he credits as one of the reasons his wines were so fresh in a historically hot year. With many years of biodynamic farming under its belt, Domaine Vallot attained its Demeter biodynamic certification in 2007. Now, the property is helmed by the fifth generation, François’s daughter, Anaïs Vallot.

Domaine Vallot has always used the natural yeasts present in the vineyard and spontaneous fermentation in traditional cement vats, guided by the philosophy that biodynamic grapes ensure healthy yeasts, which in turn yield nuanced, aromatic wine. The domaine is also guided by the belief that the cement vessels are best suited to permitting terroir to clearly transmit a sense of elegance, freshness, and approachability. 

Anaïs leads off her production with an incredibly fresh, friendly (and downright gulp-able!) Côtes-du-Rhône rouge, which is a field blend of six grapes, all picked and vinified together from the plots surrounding the winery. The vines have an average age of 40 years and are planted in calcareous limestone soil. The field blend consists of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Clairette, and Bourboulenc, with fermentation and aging in traditional cement vats.

Aromas of Mediterranean herbs and fresh red fruits stand out on the nose, and, on the palate, fresh raspberry and cherry, medium tannins, and a cleansing acidity keep the wine fresh and easy to love. Another wine that is so versatile with a range of pairings; try it with braised or grilled meats, a roast beef sandwich with aioli, or roasted chicken and array of grilled vegetables. Decant it before serving to let it show its best!