Vin Doux Naturel

Appellation Rasteau contrôlée (only Vin Doux Naturel)

The "ordinary" wines from Rasteau have not yet (for some strange reasons) achieved their own appellation, but have to be satisfied with the name of Cotes du Rhone Village Rasteau.

In 1943 ( 5 January 1944) an appellation Rasteau was created but only concerning Vin Doux Naturel from fields in three communes, Cairanne, Rasteau and Sablet.

As for other appellations the fields are exactly delimited inside areas shown on cadastral maps. The area of the delimited area is approximatly 40 ha.
No more than 40 producers produce this type of wine.

At least 90% of the blend has to be Grenache - noir, gris or blanc.
The rest can be any grape allowed for Cotes du Rhone. Most of the wines of that type is made from 100% Grenache.

The percentage of alcohol must be 15%.

It's a sweet wine but not in any way similar to Muscat de Beaumes de Venise from the neighbourhood. Quite different grapes are used but the method for stopping the fermentation by adding alcohol is the same, in French called "mutage".
To find something like the Rasteau vin Doux Naturel you can go to Banyuls or other areas in the most Southern part of France where sweet wines are made from Grenache.

The basic yield must be no more than 30 hl/ha but in most cases and for the best wines of that type it's much lower.

Three different types can be made, rouge, rosé or blanc.

The red type, a maceration period has to take place (fermentation of must and pulp together for a period).
For the white and rose types, the grapes must be pressed before fermentation.

The name Rancio can be used for wines produced by a method like the method used for madeira, tawny port or marsala.

Wine made from white varieties are often on the label called "Doré" (gilded)

Declared area and yield 2006-2010