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From the light soils of this vineyard comes a range of fruity, supple wines with smooth tannins.

Steep roads and stunning views describe the road to Rousset-les-Vignes, a route that the ancient General Hannibal Barca took as he approached the Alps on his way from Spain to Italy. Perched on the Lance mountain massif, the village is one of the northernmost appellations in the southern Rhône Valley, and with only 60 of its 300 hectares under production, it is also one of the smallest. A cadastral map from the 15th century indicates several soils suitable for winegrowing, an early sign of the terroir’s potential. Since then, geologists have been able to give us a more scientific explanation. The zaffre hills where the vines grow consist of sand and fossilised seashells deposited by the sea around eighteen million years ago. From these light soils comes a range of fruity, supple wines with smooth tannins. As one climbs the slope, the wines become fuller- bodied and more structured. They blend the Côtes du Rhône’s top varietals: Grenache Noir, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault. The appellation rosés, meanwhile, show delightful flavours of red berry fruit.

Rousset-les-Vignes

History

1969
1969

Birth of AOC Côtes du Rhône Villages Rousset-les-Vignes

Greek pitchers (oenochoe) and pseudo-Ionian ceramic wine jars have been found in the area, suggesting that that wine was already enjoyed here between the mid- 6th and 4th centuries BC. Interestingly, the artefacts already show a strong Gaulish influence, for instance in the shape of their drinking vessels.

In the 11th century, Benedictine monks at Saint- Pantaléon-les-Vignes built a great priory backing onto the mountain of La Lance, and planted their vines in its sandstone slopes. A cadastral map from the 15th century shows several different soil types in the area, all suited to vinegrowing. This level of detail was fairly unusual at the time, demonstrating that even then, the Rousset-les-Vignes winemakers took an interest in quality.

Rousset-les-Vignes became a Côtes du Rhône Villages with geographical name in 1969

Geography

Geography

The vineyards all lie in the commune of Rousset-les- Vignes in the Drôme département.

Climate

Mediterranean type climate, protected from the Mistral wind by the neighbouring mountains.

Soils

A particular geology 

Steep hillside slopes of sandstone and pebbles.

Key figures

Key figures of the appellation

95% red
3 % rosé
1% white

Colors

39 hl/ha

Average annual yield

20 ha

Production surface area

783 hl

Total production

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Inter Rhône - Key Figures 2021

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