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Domaine Rouge-Bleu

Owner: Kristin and Jean-Marc Espinasse
Alycon, 84290 Ste Cecile les Vignes
Tel. +33 615 10 52 01
Direct sale: Only by appointment
Mail: jm.espinasse@gmail.com
Blog: http://www.rouge-bleu.com/

In 2006 Jean-Marc Espinasse purchaced a 400 years old provençal farm. The 8 ha. belonging to the farm are planted with old vines, Carignan, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre. As the yield has always been sold to a co-operative there was no domain name to use and the new domain was then called Rouge-Bleu.

Jean-Marc Espinasse is not educated as a winemaker but as an accountant.
When his uncle Jean-Claude Vidal in 1989 became the owner of Domaine du Banneret in Chateauneuf du Pape, Jean-Marc became more and more involved in helping his uncle during harvest and bottling and as Jean Marc was married to an American , Kristin, and lived in California, he was also helping (with success) his uncle to market his wines in US and this was the starting point for the decision to switch the professional career to embrace the wine world. For some years he had a blog, http://www.french-wine-a-day.com and wrote about wines (mostly) from France.

By the way, Kristin is very interested in languages and has written some books with that subject, among them "Words in a French Life". She has her own blog about language: http://french-word-a-day.typepad.com.

When Jean-Marc decided to change his style of life and become a wine grower he had help from his uncle and the oenolog at Domaine du Banneret to find a interesting terroir where he could realise his dreams. Some friends helped by investing some money in the project, although Kristin and Jean-Marc is in control with 51% of the investments.

The three parcels of the domain are situated in Vin du Pays area, in AOC Cotes du Rhone and in AOC Cotes du Rhone Village. As Espinasse wants to be able to blend the wines from the different parcels he just calls the red wines Vin du Pays de Méditerranée and Cotes du Rhone.

Cotes du Rhone Blanc Cuvée Mistral
Small production from 100% Roussanne.

Vin du Pays de Méditerranée Cuvée Dentelle
55% Carignan (old vines) and 45 Grenache.

Cotes du Rhone Cuvée Mistral
71% Grenache 19% Syrah, 8% Mourvedre and 2% Roussanne.
25% of the blend has aged in 3-5-years old barrels for 9 months.

Cotes du Rhone Rosé
(Debut 2008)

Click on the map to see detailed drawing

 
The buildings had fallen into disrepair when purchased by Espinasse. Now everything looks nice. The low building in the foreground is the cellar. Not very big but will do for a while.
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When Espinasse started at the place, there was no celler at all.
It has been a hard work to get everything ready for the first vintage - 2007.
The uncovered cement tanks are for vinification and is used for ageing of the wines.
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The best cuvée Mistral rouge rests for some months in barrels
..

The cuvées have similiar labels - 
with a very old vine from a parcel at the domain.
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Jean Marc Espinasse is using organic methods in the vineyard. 
"What I learned is that winemaking happens naturally when you harvest a mature grape in a good sanitary state. I also learned that you can’t make a great wine if you don’t have a great terroir and that what happens in the cellar is the continuation of what you harvest. In other words, you may have the very best equipment, but you will never make a great wine if you don’t harvest a great grape."

The weather in 2008 has in many vineyards in Rhone brought som powdery mildew, but the old Grenache plants in Espinasse's vineyard look sound.
He has been lucky to start with a great vintage in 2007 and 2008 is promising.
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It's always interesting to meet a person, who has changed his life out of passion for vines and wines.
It can be confirmed that all the hard work - in the vineyards and the construction of house and cellar has borne fruit.
The Dentelles was soon after bottling to be found at many good restaurants, and the best wine Mistral is even better but not yet bottled. (August 2008)

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Updated 25-11-2009