Domaine La Soumade Rasteau Vin Doux Naturel

In the glass

Aroma: fig jam, dried cherry, roasted coffee, caramel, walnut

Palate: raisined fruit, chocolate, nutmeg, dried fig, warm sweetness

A traditional oxidative-style Rasteau VDN; Grenache mutage produces rich, sweet wine with fig, chocolate, and coffee complexity. Excellent with dark chocolate and blue cheese.

What it pairs with

• Dark chocolate fondant
  Classic VDN-chocolate pairing; fig and coffee notes echo the bittersweet chocolate.
• Roquefort cheese
  Sweet VDN with salty, creamy blue cheese is a Southern French classic.
• Dried figs and walnuts
  The wine's dried fruit and walnut character echoes the nut-and-fruit plate.

How to serve Domaine La Soumade Rasteau Vin Doux Naturel

Allow 35 minutes from open to pour.

1. Open and decant. Open 30 minutes before serving and pour into a decanter to aerate.
2. Serve at 10-12°C. Cellar temperature (10-12°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
3. Glassware. Use a small fortified-wine glass: the bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
4. Pair with. Dark chocolate fondant, Roquefort cheese, Dried figs and walnuts. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.

History

Rasteau VDN has been produced in the village for centuries; the style involves adding neutral grape spirit to arrest fermentation (mutage). La Soumade's oxidative-aged Rasteau VDN is among the appellation's most traditional and characterful examples.

1. 1985: La Soumade begins producing Rasteau VDN as a distinct wine
2. 2010: Rasteau VDN receives its own protected designation within the Rasteau AOC

Facts

Producer

Domaine La Soumade · visiting guide

Grapes

Grenache (100%)

Classification

Rasteau AOC (Vin Doux Naturel)

Oak

Extended ageing in old demi-muids; oxidative style

ABV

16.5%

Price

EUR 15-30 at retail

Drinking window

5-20 from vintage

First vintage

1985

Frequently asked about Domaine La Soumade Rasteau Vin Doux Naturel

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