AOC Côtes du Rhône Villages Vaison-la-Romaine
All vines love a hillside. And in Vaison-la-Romaine, they’re spoilt for choice. This newly promoted Named Village, recognised in 2016, is a succession of rolling hills in the eastern part of the Côtes du Rhône, before the terrain becomes mountainous. It gives local winemakers plenty of choices: to plant in full sun or in shadier sites, open to – or sheltered from – the north wind and cooling mountain breezes.
Vines were brought here by the Romans, and there has been a wealth of remains found in the village – hence the name ‘La Romaine’. It combines ancient, medieval and modern architecture to create one of the most charming places to visit in the Vaucluse. After visiting the ruins, take a walk over the Roman bridge and up the winding cobbled streets to take in a panorama of surrounding vineyards that tumble into the distance.
The designation takes its name from the village of Vaison- la-Romaine, but the growing area includes four other ancient settlements: Saint-Marcellin-lès-Vaison, Villedieu, Buisson and Saint-Roman-de-Malegarde. These hillside sites have been producing red wines that combine generosity and elegance for over 2,000 years.
Now it’s your turn to discover them.
Informations
Climate: Mediterranean influenced by Mistral wind
Soils: Limestone / Sandy / Clay
Altitude: Between 160 to 380 metres
Website appellation: https://www.cotesdurhone.com/
Key figures
Production surface area in 2023: 209 HA
Total production in 2023: 6 816 HL
Average annual yeld: 33 HL/HA
Year of recognition within the AOC Côtes du Rhône Villages: 2016
Communes: Vaison-la-Romaine, Saint-Marcellin-lès-Vaison, Villedieu, Buisson and Saint-Roman-de-Malegarde.
Grape varieties
Main grape varieties
- Grenache noir,
- Mourvèdre,
- Syrah
Secondary grape varieties
- Bourboulenc,
- Brun argenté (locally known as Camarèse or Vaccarèse),
- Carignan,
- Carignan blanc,
- Cinsault,
- Clairette,
- Clairette rose,
- Counoise,
- Floréal,
- Grenache blanc,
- Grenache gris,
- Marsanne,
- Muscardin,
- Piquepoul blanc,
- Piquepoul noir,
- Rolle (ou Vermentino),
- Roussanne,
- Terret noir,
- Ugni blanc,
- Vidoc,
- Viognier
To know
History
Vines have been growing on the slopes of Vaison-la-Romaine since Roman times; remains found at the area’s famous archaeological sites show the grandeur of the region’s illustrious past and confirm the age of the surrounding vineyards.
In the 17th century, two confréries (wine guilds) were established here, both dedicated to St. Vincent - one in 1600 in Villedieu, the other in 1625 in Vaison-la-Romaine.
Climate
The slopes enjoy good sun exposure. Vaison-la-Romaine is a hillside vineyard with altitudes of 160–380 metres, with plenty of sunshine and the beneficial effects of the Mistral wind.
Soils
Clay and limestone subsoils provide an evenly balanced water supply. The vineyards are planted largely on marl with cobbles from the Upper Miocene and Pliocene, marl with pebbles and pebble conglomerates and coloured marl and silt.
These soils give wines with excellent expression of flavour and elegant tannins.
Geography
The vineyards lie on the geological massif of Rasteau, Cairanne and Roaix, stretching up to Valréas. They span the 5 communes of Vaisonla- Romaine, Saint-Marcellin-lès-Vaison, Villedieu, Buisson and Saint-Roman-de-Malegarde, all in the Vaucluse.
Varieties and flavours
The vineyards of Côtes du Rhône Villages Vaison-la-Romaine grow the two iconic Côtes du Rhône varietals, Grenache and Syrah.
The blend gives wines with spicy notes and scents of garrigue, with a pleasing balance of freshness and body and good ageing potential.
Associated appellations
