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Region: France - Cotes du Rhone
Grapes: 40% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 20% Mourvèdre, 10% Carignan, 10% Cinsault
Alcohol: 14.5%
10-60 year old vines, Practicing organic, Clay-limestone & sand Soils, Hand harvested, 20% whole cluster, fermentation in tank, 12-15 day maceration
Notes on the Wine
Domaine la Janasse was one of the first properties represented by European Cellars, and for many years we sold their dependable and quaffable bistro-styled Côtes-du-Rhône. A few years ago, while tasting in their cellar, we sampled a portion of this cuvée out of foudre, and the Côtes-du-Rhône Reserve was born. It's a more serious effort than the regular Côtes-du-Rhône bottling that showcases the estate's ability to marry richness with finesse.
Notes on the Producer
Over the last quarter century, Domaine de la Janasse has become one of the most highly-regarded estates in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Led by siblings Christophe and Isabelle Sabon, the estate combines the best of both traditional and modern techniques to craft a collection of truly riveting wines from “simple” value-priced VDP’s to their benchmark Châteauneufs.
The estate was founded in 1976 by Aimé Sabon, the father of Christophe and Isabelle, who still oversees the vineyards. The property consists of 40 hectares, spread over as many as 70 different parcels throughout the appellation. The terroirs range from sandy soils, as can be found in their well-known plots in the North of the appellation – Chapouin and La Janasse– to lightly-colored clay limestone soils and gravelly red clay and galets, most notable in their plots in Le Crau in the South. While Aimé works the vineyards organically, his children, Christophe and Isabelle, arxe in charge of wine production. Christophe is a self-proclaimed “great defender of Grenache,” which still represents 75% of their vines. With assistance from Aimé’s farming and Isabelle efforts in the cellar, he harnesses the typical exuberance of Grenache-based wines through careful vinifications that respect both terroir and vintage The results are a wide range of rich and flavorful Châteauneuf-du-Papes, Côtes-du-Rhônes and Vins de Pays that are complex and balanced – often in contradiction to an region better known for sheer size and power.
