Winemaker Notes
This wine, made with grapes from the best plots, is a deep crimson. Its voluptuous and sensual character evokes the terroir, exuding blackberry and herby garrigue flavors.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
For the challenging 2021 vintage this has a stunning perfume of violets and beautifully ripe wild blackberries. Just a hint of tar. Super concentrated and super elegant this is the best wine I have ever tasted from St. Maurice! Fantastic finesse makes this feel lighter than it really is. Enormous energy at the very long focused finish. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink or hold.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Ripe red and black fruits, ground pepper, sappy, resinous garrigue, camphor, and leather notes all emerge from the 2021 Côtes Du Rhône Villages Saint Maurice Guillaume De Rouville, another quality wine from this estate that has medium-bodied richness, the focused firmer style of the vintage, and solid length on the finish.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
An appellation full of some of the most delightful and particularly charming reds, Côtes du Rhône Villages includes the best villages of the greater Côtes du Rhône appellation. The possibility for an appellation promotion exists for every named village but each has to achieve and prove superior quality before an upgrade will be granted. The main ones today are Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Beaumes-de-Venise, Vinsobres, Rasteau and Cairanne.
The Gigondas appellation, while sometimes producing wines with a touch of rusticity, can often rival Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Its elevations are higher and soils richer in limestone. Vacqueyras reds are more concentrated than the more general Côtes du Rhône reds and must be at least one half comprised of Grenache by law. Beaumes de Venise also includes some excellent higher elevation spots for making snappy, fruity and spicy reds but historically the appellation’s esteem came from its fragrant, sweet and golden Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise.