Cairanne Vieilles Vignes 2015 Domaine Les Hautes Cances
This small family estate, owned by Anne Marie and Jean-Marie Astart, is well known for producing excellent wines from old vines with very low yields (in some cases as low as 18 hectolitres per hectare, half the average yield in Rhône) so it would be an understatement to say they are passionate about what they do. They mainly produce wines under the Cairanne AOC, a Côtes du Rhône Villages that recently gained its cru status joining Châteauneuf du Pape, Gigondas and Vacqueyras.
Made with 70% Grenache from vines over 100 years old. Intense prune and cherry fruit with earthy aromas balanced by herbal notes, the palate has licquorice, spice and powerful tannins, which are now ageing well.
French still red wine from South Rhone Valley France, made with Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre.
About the producer: Domaine Les Hautes Cances
Domaine Les Hautes Cances is owned by Anne Marie and Jean-Marie Astart who farm this 17.5 hectares estate, making robust wines full of character. Anne-Marie’s grandparents founded the domaine in the 1890’s. They inherited the vineyard in 1992 and initially worked it part-time, but around 2000 both gave up their careers in medicine to focus on the land. View our selection.
Yields are low (in some cases as low as 18-20 hectolitres per hectare) and the average vine age is very high – the basic Côtes du Rhône being sourced from 50 years old vines. The vines to produce Cairanne are older, some of them reaching 100 years old. Grapes are hand-harvested and de-stemmed before fermentation with local yeasts in large cement vats, without pumping over or racking. The wines are fermented in old oak Burgundy barrels (‘pieces’). The reds are not fined or filtered.