Rasteau: Domaine La Perdriere La Planne

The Rhône Valley is home to some of the oldest vineyards in the world, with wine production dating back to Greek occupation in the 4th century BC and thriving under the Romans; it was later revived when the papacy moved to Avignon in the fourteenth century, giving Châteauneuf-du-Pape ('the Pope's new castle') its name. The Northern Rhône is home to prestigious names such as Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu, and Hermitage - small-production wines of exceptional quality - where Syrah is the sole red grape and whites come from Viognier, Marsanne, and Roussanne. The larger, warmer Southern Rhône is best known for the bold Châteauneuf-du-Pape and its rival Gigondas, alongside excellent-value names such as Vacqueyras, Rasteau, and Cairanne. Its wines are predominantly red, built chiefly on Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre.

A southern Rhône appellation in the Haut-Vaucluse, best known historically for its Vin Doux Naturel - a sweet, fortified wine made here since Roman times - but granted its own AOC for dry red wine in 2010. Grown on hillside vineyards of heat-retaining pebbles, clay, limestone, and red sandstone, and kept to notably low yields, its reds are robust, concentrated, and age-worthy. Built chiefly on Grenache (a minimum of 50%), blended with Syrah and Mourvèdre, they show ripe dark fruit, spice, and garrigue character. Sheltered from the mistral and warmed by the Mediterranean, Rasteau produces characterful reds increasingly recognised for their quality alongside its celebrated fortified wines.