Xavier Vignon : Rasteau 2022

Characteristics and Tasting Tips for the 2022 Rasteau by Xavier Vignon

Serving and Cellaring

This 2022 Rasteau is best enjoyed at a temperature between 14 and 16 °C. Its cellaring potential is estimated at beyond 2030, allowing it to continue its harmonious evolution for several more years.

A Rasteau by Xavier Vignon Shaped by Altitude

The Estate

Founded in 1997 as the company Xavier Vins SAS, the House of Xavier Vignon is today led by its eponymous founder, a renowned oenologist in the Rhône Valley. Based in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, it also cultivates vines in the Dentelles de Montmirail, in Beaumes-de-Venise and in the Ventoux appellation. Renowned for its meticulous plot-by-plot approach and its art of blending inspired by Champagne and Bordeaux, the house offers a range of cuvées expressing the diversity of the southern Rhône terroirs, of which this Rasteau is part.

The Vineyard

Rasteau lies east of Orange, perched at an altitude of around 200 metres, facing due south and sheltered from the mistral by the Dentelles de Montmirail opposite. The soils combine clay-limestone, marl and sandstone. This Rasteau comes from a selection of seventeen plots spread across high-altitude terrain, where marl, clay slopes, stony soils and sandy soils alternate, offering a diversity conducive to the complexity of the wine.

Vinification and Ageing

The vinification of the 2022 Rasteau relies on fermentation at a moderate temperature, preceded by a pre-fermentation maceration designed to encourage gentle tannin extraction. The different grape varieties are co-fermented from this stage onwards in order to bring greater aromatic complexity. The wine is then aged in 25% new oak barrels, 25% demi-muids and 50% concrete tanks, a combination that balances oak influence with the preservation of fresh fruit.