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November 15, 2012
Rene Rostaing's Masterful Vassal de Puech Noble
From Rare Wine Company:
OVER THE PAST 41 YEARS, the wines of Rene Rostaing have come to be regarded as the heart and soul of Cote Rotie, combining power and richness with delicacy and perfume. But the real measure of Rene’s gifted winemaking may not be on the Cotes Brune and Blonde, but in the Languedoc.
During our visit yesterday to his Domaine in the Northern Rhone, with a twinkle in his eye, Rene proudly presented us the second vintage of his only bottling made with everyday drinking in mind: the 2009 Vassal de Puech Noble. Based on our experience with his other wines from Puech Noble, we expected the combination of Rostaing's trademark elegance with the fleshy fruit of Southern France, but were stunned by the Vassal's sheer buvabilite—a word, Rene was proud to remind us, comes directly from the American creation drinkability.
As its name implies, the Vassal is an incredibly versatile wine whose talents far exceed its tarif. Its crowd-pleasing nature makes it an easy weeknight choice to crack open for friends that want a 'full-bodied' red, while its depth of flavor and impressive length will make you want to help them finish the bottle.
We consider it the perfect Bistrot wine—one that screams for steak frites. And we are not alone: most of Rene's inaugural vintage of Vassal was sold to restaurants who pour it by the glass.
THE RIGHT STUFF
10 years of Rostaing's normale Puech Noble bottlings are proof that the terroir of Langlade is capable of producing the finest and most Cote Rotie-like wines ever made in this part of France, and the Domaine has attracted critical acclaim from all corners: from Jancis Robinson and Andrew Jefford to Robert Parker.
10 years of Rostaing's normale Puech Noble bottlings are proof that the terroir of Langlade is capable of producing the finest and most Cote Rotie-like wines ever made in this part of France, and the Domaine has attracted critical acclaim from all corners: from Jancis Robinson and Andrew Jefford to Robert Parker.
Situated so far North in the Languedoc it's just outside of the Rhone appellation controlee, and with limestone soils beloved by many a French grower, Puech Noble is also distinctly Rostaing and distinctly Syrah. The excellent 2009 vintage helped this relatively cool micro-climate express its full potential with perfumed, ripe fruits and elegant, silky tannins, not to mention impeccable balance. While imminently drinkable, this is a wine of elegance, breed, and class.
