ABOUT: Domaine Vallot is located in the southern end of the Cotes du Rhone in a village called Le Coriancon within the appellation Vinsobre. Tucked into alpine foothills of limestone, this region benefits from high altitudes buffering from the surrounding Dentelles de Montmirail and Mont Ventoux mountain ranges. A huge benefit of growing vines at high altitude is a long vegetative cycle which leads to freshness, finesse, and complexity in the resulting wine. All apt descriptors of wines made at Domaine Vallot, which is currently in its fifth generation of winemakers, with Anais Vallot recently having gathered the reigns from her father Francois. He began conversion to organic farming in the 1990’s and gained Ecocert certification in 2003 and Demeter certification in 2007. Daughter Anais continues the tradition marvelously and grows Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Clairette, and Bourboulenc, all trained in the bush style (gobelet). Native yeasts are used for fermentation and aging takes place in traditional cement vats. This Cotes du Rhone field blend is our first taste of Vallot, so happy to have found them! TASTE: I was lucky enough to taste this wine at an industry gathering and had to scribble a note about this tasty thing. The Domaine Vallot Le Coriancon Cotes du Rhone 2021 is a field blend of all six aforementioned grapes, picked and vinified together from the vineyards surrounding the winery. The vines are 40 years old and deep in the limestone soils. Flavors of youthful cherries, raspberries, wet potting soil, thyme and fennel, with a medium body and dry tannins. Tremendous extraction here, full and rich in red fruit flavor with a wide mid palate. There’s no surprise this comes from high in the mountains, it has a certain lithe shape and coolness, also wonderfully fruity and herby. And will most certainly develop nicely over the next 5-10 years. PAIR: Goat cheese pizza, Moroccan chickpea stew, spiced grilled eggplant, black pepper tofu with bok choy, Impossible cheese burger, and egg en cocotte.
