Previous words and wines from Domaine Rouaud can be viewed HERE (scribbled 2006 to 2008, so I've been following them for six years now). I've updated and tweaked their profile below and added some of the latest releases sampled at this year's Millésime Bio organic wine show in Montpellier a few months ago, where I talked to Sophie Rouaud...
Jérôme
Rouaud and his wife Sophie were drawn to the deep south by a hazy
wine dream and initially worked nine hectares of vines and grapes,
which were picked for the local co-op winery. They established their
own estate in 2003 (that year of heatwave after heatwave), which has
since expanded to 15 ha (37 acres) lying on the distinctive
clay-stoney-schist slopes found to the north of the village of
Pézilla (about 10km west of Perpignan). They'd already opted for
organic farming since they started out - something they were
determined to do - and got full-blown 'certified' status (visions of
compulsory wearing of a straight jacket while among those precious
mad vines...) from the 2004 vintage. These vineyards are home to a
happy mix of senior-citizen Carignan (red, white and 'grey'), born in
1949, and the other usual suspects, some of them relative babies
planted ten years ago.
Before
this viticultural upheaval, Jérôme worked for years in the car
industry in Paris (yawn) then dramatically switched career, having
been bitten by the wine bug, first to a Nicolas wine shop followed by
Bordeaux university to study winemaking and viticulture. The couple
moved to the Roussillon, as a job came up as a winery assistant; and
finally they bought, ripped out and rebuilt an old Catalan-brick
house cum cellar in sedate Pézilla. Nothing too radical on the
winemaking front (which is fine) e.g. what you'd expect from any
conscientious organic grower, such as using indigenous yeasts or
a low sulphite policy (there's a rational and not overly
technical explanation on their site about what Jérôme does and
why).
Some
of their wines are exported to Germany, Denmark and Sweden: get in
touch for details. Where it's all going down: 7 Rue du Portal d’Amont, 66370
Pézilla-la-Rivière. Tel: 04 68 92 46 59, mobile: 06 98 17 22 81;
rouaud.vigneron.66@orange.fr,
www.domaine-rouaud.com.
2011
Llosa
white Côtes
Catalanes
(100%
Maccabeu) – perfumed honeysuckle with apple notes, quite rich and
lees-y vs attractive nutty 'mineral' side, quite intense finish. Good
stuff: €8.50
cellar door.
2011
Barbacane Grenache Côtes Catalanes (45 year-old vines) – spicy liquorice aromas / flavours, quite soft
and easy-going palate, nice drink-young style. €8.50
2010
Rive Gauche Côtes du
Roussillon (80% Syrah, 20% Grenache from 35-45 year-old
vines) – new wine: rustic leather edges vs dark sweet
berry/cherry fruit, dry vs rich and rounded mouth-feel. Very good.
€9.50
2009
Têt
Pourpre Côtes du Roussillon Villages (50/50
Syrah & Carignan, 45-65 year-old vines) – has a touch more oak
layered with ripe black fruits with earthy edges, quite firm still
with punchy finish; maybe less charming this vintage (?) in common
with other 09s. €13
A few earlier vintages of this wine are HERE.
2009
Essència
Côtes du Roussillon Villages (85% Mourvèdre, 15% Grenache from
15-60 year-old vines) – oakier still but it's rich and intense with
nice fruity berry palate and savoury black olive undertones, powerful
structured finish; needs a bit of time to open up fully. Very good
though: €18.
