Maison Tardieu Laurent - Rasteau - Vieilles Vignes

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Extreme year, extreme Wine? Wrong ! Well, not ineluctably true. Here, the Old Vines are, once again, in the spotlight, and very particularly in this Appellation. No imbalance, no ostentatious power, but crispness and drinkability. Like thumbing one’s nose at preconceived ideas !
The vintage

Strange and paradoxical… This vintage has reserved us quite a few surprises, and
still raises questions. Although described as « Great » by some Vignerons, its strong
heterogeneity, depending on the sectors, imposes us to be attentive, measured, though hopeful.
2018 : the vegetative cycle is early. Spring sees generous rains and heat strokes
alternate. According to “Elders”, from memory one has to get back to the 60’ to observe such pressure of diseases in the vineyard. And, unfortunately for some Domaines, the processing windows would, in the main, only open at the week-ends… The vintage therefore promises to be technically complicated, demanding meticulous, tedious, even relentless work, in the vineyards. Damage and losses vary… but yields on Grenache are historically low… Providentially, once again, we could count on Mother Nature’s final “nudge” ! Without hesitation we can assert that the quality of the remaining grapes, the quality of their juice, is mainly due to a brilliant month of September.
Indeed, the weather conditions during the harvest were almost perfect. Cool but sunny weather, with well-marked, valued, thermal amplitudes… The Vigneron was able to choose in all serenity the ideal moment to harvest, plot of land by plot of land, without having to operate any constrained arbitration…

Type of soil

Limestone-clay slopes and blue and yellow clay.

Ageing

10 months in one vintage old barrels. Allier and Tronçais. Then 8 months in foudre.

Winemaking

1/3 non destemmed.

Serving

14°C
Decant an hour before tasting.

Tasting

Attractive elegance of this Wine, despite of a power which still remains a trifle ostentatious. The Cuvée will benefit from the élevage… Longer than usual élevage - the Wine deserves it - so as to gain even more finesse.

Alcohol content

14,5%

Bottling

Without fining and filtration.

Cépages

Grenache : 70 %
Syrah : 20 %
Mourvèdre : 10 %

Also deeply colored, the 2018 Rasteau Vieilles Vignes has rocking purity and freshness as well as tons of black cherry, blackberries, scorched earth, graphite, and peppery garigue aromas and flavors. It's rich, concentrated, medium to full-bodied, and just another beautiful wine. The blend is 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre that was two-thirds destemmed and will spend 10 months in once- and twice-used oak followed by 10 months in foudre.

Jeb Dunnuck , 92-94/100 , 2019-08-16

Bright deepish crimson. Luscious and round with a hint of oak at this stage. You'd probably prefer to wait until the aromas are of pure fruit. Juicy and only very slightly jammy but it's sweet rather than structured.

Jancis Robinson , 16+/20 , 2019-11-11

The 2018 Rasteau Vieilles Vignes is a blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre, aged 10 months in once-used barrels, then eight months in foudres. For a Rasteau, this is remarkably fresh and vibrant, with red raspberries and spicy licorice notes on the nose and palate. It's medium to full-bodied, open-knit and accessible, with hints of mocha and soft, dusty tannins on the finish.

Wine Advocate , 90/100 , 2020-09-24

Wine Enthusiast , 93/100 , 2021-01-11