(© Christophe Grilhé)
Rasteau is a parish in the southern Rhone valley, located roughly 15 miles (24 km) northeast of the famous Chateauneuf-du-Pape. The village and its vineyards are perhaps best known for their sweet red vin doux naturel, but they also produce dry wine (red, rosé and white). For a long time, the parish's dry wines were made under the Cotes du Rhone Villages Rasteau appellation but these highly regarded wines were promoted to full, independent AOC status in July 2010 and are now also sold as 'Rasteau'.
Rasteau itself is located on the banks of the Ouveze river (a tributary of the Rhone), just northeast of the town of Orange. The climate here is Mediterranean, with hot, dry summers bringing excellent ripening potential to the Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre grapes used in the production of most of its high-quality red table wines. Mourvedre in particular requires a hot, dry climate to fully ripen, as does Grenache. These two grapes are rarely found north of Montelimar, which marks the boundary between the northern Rhone and the hotter southern Rhone. Syrah, on the other hand, prefers the coolest of Rasteau's mesoclimates, as it is more susceptible to heat damage. The other red grapes that are permitted are those of a standard Cotes du Rhone red wine blend.
