Val Des Rois
Region
Val des Rois is a 10-hectare, single estate winery planted in 1965 by 9th generation Burgundian winemaker Romain Bouchard that sits on the northern edge of Southern Côtes de Rhône in Valréas. The vineyard’s unique altitude and location gains exposure from the nightly, cool southeast air descending from the foothills of the Alps and produces wines that are significantly higher in natural acidity than typical of the Southern Rhône. Wines are made by the legendary Stéphane Vedeau, and wines and farming practices are certified organic by Ecocert. The estate follows a low intervention philosophy through indigenous yeast, low sulfur, and no filtration.
Wines
Côtes du Rhône Blanc
This complex and layered white wine comes from a single vineyard called La Lance at the northern border of Valréas. It is especially influenced by the mistral, which keeps things cold in the certified organic vineyard. As a blend of Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, Viognier, and Bourboulenc, this wine has an aromatic nose of citrus, exotic fruits, and white flowers. The creamy palate leads to a mouthwatering finish.
Côtes du Rhône Allards
Les Allards is named after the area between Valréas and Vinsobres and is produced without SO2 (“sans soufre” in French). While most Rhône wines are blends, this Côtes du Rhône is made entirely from nearly 100-year-old Grenache vines. The absence of oak keeps the wine light and airy. Bright, brambly berry fruit mingles with herbal garrigue notes on this inviting nose. The palate is driven by fresh, crunchy red and blue fruit. Only 650 cases are made each year.
Côtes du Rhône Le Petit Roy
Val des Rois’ calling card for red wines is to omit the use of oak, preferring the freshness and vitality of concrete. Le Petit Roy is a blend of equal parts Syrah and Grenache, giving it a uniquely high level of Syrah for the appellation. The wine has a garnet color with aromas of black cherry, blueberry and chocolate. There is a great balance between freshness and power with finessed tannins.
People
Stéphane Vedeau
Since his first vintages at La Ferme du Mont, Stéphane has been congratulated by critics for proposing a very different approach of Rhone valley wines, where producers usually seek strong extraction, full ripeness despite of a lack of acidity. Robert Parker once called him “One of the young, energetic Turks of Chateanuef du Pape,” referencing a British expression for somebody who want to change things in a revolutionary nature. He is also the owner and winemaker of Clos Bellane and J. Boutin.
Stéphane is a perfectionist at heart and has a lifelong dedication to making wines of purity and grace. He adopts a non-interventionist farming and winemaking mindset. The vineyards are farmed organically certified by Ecocert, along with the wines. The wines contain no sulfur in the gravity-fed cellar during vinification, use indigenous yeasts and no filtration is used. In this way, Stephane is able to preserve the freshness and the fragile balance of these specific terroirs and obtain beautiful fine tannins without using oak barrel aging in order to preserve a bright and pure fruity bouquet of aromas.
