Domaine de la Rameau 2014 - AOC Valais
Our top of the range red is produced in 2014 from the Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot grape varieties. A wine highlighting the power of the Chamoson terroirs.
Grape varieties
40% Syrah, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot.
Syrah is one of the most beautiful grape varieties of the French Rhône valley. It was quite natural that she found a second home in Valais, on the banks of the Rhône. Syrah and its purple color expresses itself with notes of spices, black pepper and wild berries. It brings a magnificent identity to our blend.
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.
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 2014
A capricious summer required the winegrowers to pay constant attention to fight effectively against the development of diseases such as powdery mildew and to ensure a quality harvest. The weather conditions in September and October were optimal for the ripening of the grapes and favoured a good accumulation of sugars. The cool nights allowed the grapes to preserve their full aromatic potential.
During the harvest, the winegrowers carried out important sorting work in the plots for the sensitive grape varieties. The damage noted on certain plots was essentially due to the summer rainfall. This harvest was also marked by the presence of the drosophila suzukii.
The first tastings augur well for a quality vintage. Thanks to the sorting work carried out in the vineyard, a quality harvest was put into the cellar. The wines offer well-marked typicity with balanced structures and aromatic palettes with a great deal of finesse.
The whites reveal a bright fruitiness, freshness and balance. The typical characteristics of Petite Arvine are particularly present in this 2014 vintage. The colour intensity of the reds is remarkable, with deep, dark colours ranging from ruby red to purple. The bouquet is expressive, revealing notes of red and black fruits with a touch of spice. On the palate, there is a concentration of fruit, tight and silky tannins, and a nice vivacity on the finish.
Wine conservation
8 to 12 years (in good temperature and humidity conditions).
