2024 Domaine de la Janasse Cotes du Rhone

The young Christophe Sabon holds the reins here with great enthusiasm. He took over the estate from his father in the early 1990s and, as is so often the case, development here has been extremely positive since then. Christophe cultivates a total of more than 15 hectares of vineyard, all on very difficult soil consisting of gravel, sand, and large stones. The vines are over 40 years old; in some plots, there are vines over 80 years old.

The variety of grapes is extensive, including Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Marsanne, Roussanne, Carignan, Bourboulenc, and Counoise. Low yields, often less than 30 hl/ha, are achieved through ruthless pruning and a rigorous green harvest. Furthermore, Christophe works almost exclusively organically. The grapes are picked entirely by hand; before fermentation, they are lightly crushed, followed by a long maceration of approximately 18 days. After temperature-controlled fermentation, the wines age in large oak vats. All wines are made in the classic style and excel through the combination of power and finesse.

Janasse's Côtes du Rhône, a blend of 40% Grenache complemented by Mourvèdre, Carignan, Syrah, and Cinsault, is once again a beautiful vintage. The wine is medium-bodied, juicy, and peppery with spices, yet also fresh. A very characterful wine and exactly as a good Côtes du Rhône should be, but we can certainly leave that to Domaine Janasse.