Domaine de la Rameau 2017 - AOC Valais
Our top of the range red is produced in 2017 from the Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cornalin grape varieties. A wine highlighting the power of the Chamoson terroirs.
Grape varieties
30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot and 10% Cornalin.
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most widely planted grape varieties in the world. Late-ripening, it found soils and a climate to its liking in Valais. With its very full-bodied and tannic structure, Cabernet Sauvignon brings density and power to this blend.
Cabernet Franc is a more discreet grape variety globally, but it is considered one of the great red grape varieties of the Loire Valley, Bordeaux and Valais. This late-ripening grape variety brings elegance and typical aromas of tobacco and leather to this blend.
No need to introduce Merlot, a grape variety planted in all the beautiful vineyards around the world including Valais in Switzerland. Merlot is medium late and loves deeper soils like we have in Chamoson. This grape variety brings flesh and smoothness to our blend.
Cornalin is an indigenous grape variety in Valais, some of which is found in the Aosta Valley under the name Rouge du Pays. Lately mature, capricious and difficult to work, Cornalin was almost abandoned in the middle of the 20th century. Its extraordinary fruity strength, its insolent youth and its body that is both elegant and vinous bring the final touch to this extraordinary blend.
Winemaking
The harvest of the different grape varieties is done manually according to maturity. Each grape variety is vatted separately in order to achieve the most precise macerations possible depending on the grape variety.
We carry out cold macerations for 10 to 15 days then the fermentations begin. We maintain a fermentation temperature around 25°C and we carry out light punching down during the 10-15 days of fermentation. The devattings are decided by tastings.
The pressing is as delicate as possible and we separate the free-run juices and the press juices in order to produce a blend that best reflects the finesse of each vintage. We create the blend of different grape varieties after pressing, then the wines are put into oak barrels for aging for 14 months. 80% of the barrels are new oak barrels from Tonnellerie François Frères in Burgundy, the remaining 20% are oak barrels from 1 wine (having already vinified a vintage).
After aging, the wines are lightly filtered then bottled. We market the wines 1 year after bottling in order to give the wine time to flourish before being marketed.
Vintage 2017
The year 2017 started with the coldest January in 30 years. In contrast, March was unusually warm. The high temperatures combined with good sunshine contributed to the early development of the vegetation. The vines broke bud ten days earlier than the ten-year average.
April was marked by severe night frosts on the nights of 19 to 23 April, which caused considerable damage to the vineyard, given the advanced development of vegetation for the period.
The month of June was particularly warm and favourable to the growth of the vines and allowed the development of healthy foliage. On August 1st, an exceptional hail storm hit the vineyard locally. The warm weather conditions of August contributed to the production of high quality grapes.
The harvest began on 11 September and took place under very good weather conditions, marked by a virtual absence of rainfall (a quarter of the ten-year norm for September and October) and ended in October under an Indian summer.
The hot summer conditions allowed the production of healthy grapes at optimum ripeness. The warm days and cool nights of September allowed the aromatic potential to be preserved and the acidity of the grapes not to be degraded. At harvest time, the berries were small due to the hot, dry summer. This allowed a remarkable concentration of aromas and colour in the red wines.
The first tastings reveal generous wines with very good balance and freshness, which is exceptional for a "hot and early" vintage. The white wines show a beautiful exuberance, combining floral notes and ripe fruit while maintaining a dynamic freshness. The red wines are greedy, opulent with voluminous tannins and magnificent colours. In summary: promising wines with character, reflecting the terroir and the sunny climate of the 2017 vintage.
Tasting
A nose of blackcurrant, raspberries, with notes of cocoa, tobacco.
In the mouth, blackcurrant and black cherry remain the main structure of this powerful wine. We find a fine lemony acidity which calls for a second glass ;-)
This wine will pair wonderfully with a saddle of venison or a nice piece of red meat.
Wine conservation
8 to 12 years (in good temperature and humidity conditions).
