Rasteau is an ''

Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication primarily used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown, although other types of food often have appellations as well. Restrictions other than geographical boun ...

'' for

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...

in the southern Rhône wine region of

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

, covering both

fortified A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...

VDN AOC Rasteau
vins-rhone.com, accessed 2010-06-30 and unfortified wines. The sweet fortified wines (

Vin Doux Naturel Fortified wine is a wine to which a distilled spirit, usually brandy, has been added. In the course of some centuries, winemakers have developed many different styles of fortified wine, including port, sherry, madeira, Marsala, Commandar ...

, VDN) can be red, rosé or white,Appellation regulations for Rasteau, version 2009-10-13
on

Légifrance Légifrance is the official website of the French government for the publication of legislation, regulations, and legal information. Access to the site is free. Virtually complete, it presents or refers to all concerned institutions or administrati ...

and have long been produced under the Rasteau AOC. In 2010 dry red wines (unfortified) were also added to the appellation, effective from the 2009 vintage.Rasteau promoted to AOC

Decanter A decanter is a vessel that is used to hold the decantation of a liquid (such as wine) which may contain sediment. Decanters, which have a varied shape and design, have been traditionally made from glass or crystal. Their volume is usually equ ...

2010-06-28 The Rasteau appellation covers mostly the commune of

Rasteau Rasteau (; oc, Lo Rastèu) is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. Town twins * Houyet, Belgium (since 1991) See also *Communes of the Vaucluse department *Rasteau AOC Raste ...

, but also includes some vineyards in

Cairanne Cairanne (; oc, Cairana) is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France whose inhabitants were locally nicknamed ''leis afrontaires de Cairana'', the cheeky ones from Cairanne. It dates ...

and

Sablet Sablet () is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. It is a fortified Provençal village rich in history. Population Geography Sablet is situated at the foot of the Dentelles de ...

. of vineyards are used for the fortified wines, with an annual production of around 1,400 hectoliter, or around 190,000 bottles.

History

The production of fortified wine was introduced in 1934, and in 1944, the Rasteau AOC for VDN wines was created, with effect from the 1943 vintage. Dry red wines from the same area traditionally had to be sold under the Côtes du Rhône Villages designation. From 1996, Rasteau was one of the village names that could be added to Côtes du Rhône Villages. In 2002, the Rasteau winegrower's syndicate requested that Rasteau should become its own appellation. This was finally approved by INAO in 2010, effective from the 2009 vintage.

Grape varieties

Main

grape varieties This list of grape varieties includes cultivated grapes, whether used for wine, or eating as a table grape, fresh or dried (raisin, currant, sultana). For a complete list of all grape species including those unimportant to agriculture, see Viti ...

for the fortified wines are

Grenache noir Grenache () or Garnacha () is one of the most widely planted red wine grape varieties in the world. Niels Lillelund: ''Rhône-Vinene'' p. 25, JP Bøger – JP/Politikens Forlagshus A/S, 2004. . It ripens late, so it needs hot, dry conditi ...

Grenache gris Grenache () or Garnacha () is one of the most widely planted red wine grape varieties in the world. Niels Lillelund: ''Rhône-Vinene'' p. 25, JP Bøger – JP/Politikens Forlagshus A/S, 2004. . It ripens late, so it needs hot, dry conditi ...

and

Grenache blanc Grenache blanc (also known as garnatxa blanca in Catalonia) is a variety of white wine grape that is related to the red grape Grenache. It is mostly found in Rhône wine blends and in northeast Spain. Its wines are characterized by high alcohol a ...

. All grape varieties allowed for red, rosé or white Côtes du Rhône (a total of 18 varieties in addition to the Grenaches) are also allowed as accessory grape varieties for Rasteau AOC, and are limited to a total of 10%. Red Rasteau is typically produced from 100% Grenache noir.

Appellation regulations

The fortified wines are produced from grape which must reach a maturity of at least 252 grams sugar per liter must, or close to 15 per cent of

potential alcohol Must weight is a measure of the amount of sugar in grape juice (must) and, hence, indicates the amount of alcohol that could be produced if it is all fermented to alcohol, rather than left as residual sugar.yield is 30 hectoliter per hectare. The wine must be fortified by the addition of neutral alcohol (with a minimum strength of 96 per cent by volume), the volume of which must correspond to 5 to 10 per cent of the volume of the grape must. The alcohol level of the finished wine must be at least 15 per cent, and a maximum of 21.5 per cent by volume, and the sugar content at least 45 grams per liter. There are two special designations which can be used for Rasteau wines: * Wines marked ''Hors d'âge'' must be stored for five years before it is sold. * Wines marked ''

Rancio This glossary of winemaking terms lists some of terms and definitions involved in making wine, fruit wine, and mead. A ;Acetaldehyde : The main aldehyde found in wines, most notably Sherry. ;Acetic acid : One of the primary volatile acids in wi ...

'' must have been subjected to the typical oxidative treatment of that wine style.

References

{{reflist
Cotes du Rhone Wines Web Site
Fortified wine 1944 establishments in France