| Villages Rasteau Domaine du Trapadis Rasteau 2005 is a delightful Cotes du Rhones red. It is produced with 70% Grenache Noir, 15% Carignan, 8% Mourvedre and 7% Syrah, all organically grown grapes. Behind a garnet color lies a dominant nose of leather, resin, mint and tannins, coated with caramel. With its serious tannins, it has long-lived flavors of dark fruits, intense herbs and considerable elegance. The organically grown grapes come from a vineyard that is cultivated without herbicides, chemical fertilizers or synthetic products. The soil is ploughed six times a year. The 30 years old vines are carefully cordon or cane pruned. This Rasteau Villages is a steal for lovers of Chateauneuf-Du-Pape. It has all the big, fleshy, powerful flavors without the big price tag. Recommended pairing with grilled fare, stews, & roasts. Drink through 2012.
Domaine du Trapadis is produced with grapes that are manually picked and carefully sorted, grape by grape. The harvest is destemmed, lightly crushed and put into cement vats. Alcoholic fermentation starts due to natural yeasts. All 4 grape varieties are vinified together, with the exception of Syrah, which ripens earlier. The grapes are macerated for 20 days at a temperature of 25°C. Free run juice is pumped over the must every 4 days. The grapes are pressed just before the end of the alcoholic fermentation. The wine is assembled in January following the vintage and matured in cement vats on fine lees. Bottling takes place after approximately 18 months.
Domaine du Trapadis dates back four generations to 1850, with present vineyard owner Helen Durand’s two great-grandfathers owning a part of the land that together form today’s Domaine du Trapadis. Helen began to produce and bottle the wines of Trapadis since the young age of 16. He finished wine school in 1994, successfully earning his Brevet de Technicien Agricole en Viticulture Oenologie (professional certification in viticulture and oenology). To further enhance his knowledge, he completed an internship at Château de Beaucastel in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Since 1996 Helen has complete charge of the domaine, incorporating his ideas and practices with respect for the vines and their surroundings.
RATINGS: The 2003 received 89 Points from Wine Enthusiast.
The 2006 received 91 Points from Wine Spectator
"Shows Port-like aromas of crushed blueberry..."
14 Out of 20 Points - Le Point France.
"Lovely nose of garrigue, cherry, raspberry, plum, rich, nice quickness, fruit very clear, long and expressive. " |
