Rabasse Charavin CRU Rasteau 2020, 14,5%

Rabasse Charavin CRU Rasteau 2020 is a rich, sun-drenched red from one of the Southern Rhône’s most characterful villages. Blending Grenache, Mourvèdre and Carignan, it captures the warmth, spice and depth that have made Rasteau a favorite among Rhône lovers. With its generous alcohol and concentration, this is a serious yet charming wine built for hearty food and unhurried drinking. As a Rasteau Cru, this bottling stands out for its powerful structure and distinctive mix of ripe dark fruit, garrigue herbs and savory spice. Old-vine Grenache typically leads the blend, supported by Mourvèdre’s structure and Carignan’s freshness, giving a wine that is both bold and finely balanced. Rasteau’s long history as a quality red and fortified wine appellation underpins this cuvée, and in the hands of a long-established family domaine like Rabasse Charavin, the cru’s character really shines through.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the 2020 Rabasse Charavin CRU Rasteau shows a deep, dense ruby core with purple highlights, hinting at its youth and intensity. The nose opens with ripe blackberries, dark cherries and plum compote, layered with notes of dried herbs, black olive, licorice and cracked black pepper. Subtle hints of cocoa, warm stones and a touch of garrigue (thyme, rosemary, lavender) add complexity as it breathes. On the palate, this is full-bodied and generous, with a velvety texture and ample, ripe tannins that frame the fruit without feeling harsh. Flavors of black cherry, blackberry and raspberry liqueur are interwoven with savory notes of spice, dried Provençal herbs and a touch of earthy minerality. The 14.5% alcohol is well integrated, contributing to a warm, long finish with lingering dark fruit and spice. While already approachable with a bit of air, the structure and concentration suggest very good aging potential; expect it to drink well over the next 8–10 years, gaining more leather, truffle and dried fruit complexity with time in bottle.

Production
This Rasteau Cru red comes from the sun-baked slopes of the Southern Rhône, where vineyards benefit from a Mediterranean climate: hot, dry summers, the cleansing Mistral wind, and stony, clay-limestone and marl soils that naturally limit yields. These conditions are ideal for Grenache, Mourvèdre and Carignan, which ripen fully while retaining a thread of freshness and a clear expression of terroir. At Rabasse Charavin, the focus is traditionally on careful work in the vineyards, with many older vines and low yields to concentrate flavor. Harvesting is typically done by hand, with strict sorting to keep only the healthiest, ripest bunches. In the cellar, the grapes are destemmed and vinified in temperature-controlled tanks, with a relatively long maceration to extract color, tannin and aromatic complexity. Aging often takes place in a mix of cement and/or neutral oak, preserving the purity of fruit and the distinctive Rasteau identity rather than overlaying it with heavy new wood.

Food & Serving
Rabasse Charavin CRU Rasteau 2020 is made for robust, flavorful dishes. It pairs beautifully with slow-cooked lamb shanks, beef daube Provençale, grilled ribeye, game stews, or Mediterranean dishes like lamb with rosemary and olives. It also works well with hearty pasta ragù, cassoulet, and aged hard cheeses such as Comté, aged Gouda or Manchego. Serve at around 16–18°C (slightly cooler than room temperature) to keep the freshness and balance in check. Decanting for 30–60 minutes before serving is recommended, especially in its youth, to allow the tannins to soften and the aromatics to fully open.

Producer
Domaine Rabasse Charavin is a historic family estate rooted in the Southern Rhône since 1880, when François Rabasse purchased a modest three hectares of vines and olive trees around a small cabanon. Over generations, the domaine has steadily grown—from Edmond’s early days vinifying just a few hundred bottles, through Marcel’s expansion and bottle sales, to the key moment when Jeannine Rabasse married Abel Charavin from Rasteau, bringing additional vineyards and uniting the Rabasse and Charavin names. Today the estate covers around 40 hectares across Rasteau and neighboring communes, now led by Laure, who joined in 1993 and has guided the domaine into the modern era with a new, purpose-built cellar. Throughout its history, Rabasse Charavin has been recognized for authentic, terroir-driven Rhône wines that regularly earn praise in competitions and from regional tasters, helping cement the domaine’s reputation as a reliable and characterful producer in the Rasteau cru.

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