Rhonéa: the new generation of artisan winegrowers

Rhonéa brings together a collective of nearly 400 artisan winegrowers who have been able to pool their know-how around a “new generation” cooperative model. Here, db offers an insight into their wonderful wines.

United by the same passion, and unique in their history, they transmit and improve their know-how through the generations. Whether they come from winegrower families or are newly established, they all patiently repeat their actions, vintage after vintage, the fruit of know-how passed on by their elders and accompanied by our wine experts. Originally, it was just a handful of families, visionaries and enthusiasts who laid the first stones of the village cellars in the 1920s.

Their belief includes creating a common good that takes advantage of everyone’s talents to offer the best conditions for winemaking, breeding and marketing. From year to year, these social projects have grown in scope and meaning.

The founding fathers passed the torch to their children and grandchildren, thus keeping their dreams and their passion alive.

Preserving, developing and promoting their terroirs have always been strong values ​​of these collectives. Building on the link, in 2015 new momentum was given to this multigenerational adventure: Rhonéa.

With a vineyard of 2.900ha, Rhonéa is certified “Sustainable Winegrowing” & is the 1st producer of Crus & Villages in the southern Rhone Valley.

Obviously, Vacqueyras and Beaumes de Venise showed the way with their union, quickly joined in 2019 by Rasteau and Visan.

See below a range of available bottles from the co-operative, including tasting notes by Patrick Schmitt MW.

RHONEA – The Signature

Légende des Toques 2022 – Côtes du Rhône

Producer: Rhonea
Region: Côtes du Rhône
Country: France
Vintage: 2022
Grape varieties: Grenache, Viognier, Marsanne
ABV: 13%
Residual sugar: <2 g
Approx. retail price: £13.50

A delicate youthful, clean wine, with scents of peach, and a palate with ripe notes of nectarine and pear. Texturally, there is some viscosity to the core, and a freshness to the finish, with a touch of peach kernel.

Légende des Toques Rose – Côtes du Rhône

Producer: Rhonea
Region: Côtes du Rhône ORGANIC
Country: France
Vintage: 2022
Grape varieties: Grenache, Syrah, Carignan
ABV: 11.5%
Residual sugar: <2 g
Approx. retail price: £13.50

A pale salmon pink rosé with aromas of strawberry jam and pink bubblegum, which leads into a palate with some rich ripe red berry flavours and a dry finish, with a hint of fine tannin and orange zest to refresh. A crowd-pleasing style that’s attractive, simple and balanced.

La Croisée des Chemins – Côtes du Rhône Villages

Producer: Rhonea
Region: Côtes du Rhône Villages
Country: France
Vintage: 2022
Grape varieties: Grenache, Syrah, Carignan
ABV: 13.5%
Residual sugar: <2 g
Approx. retail price: £14

Plums, cherry and some tapenade dominate the nose. The palate is appealing, with some peppercorn, green olive, then plums, and sweet red berry fruit, strawberry, fine and soft, with some dry tannin to finish. Lingers. Light, layered, ripe but fleshy and spicy. A lovely wine, though not a blockbuster.

Fontimple Vacqueyras Blanc

Producer: Rhonea
Region: Vacqueyras
Country: France
Vintage: 2022
Grape varieties: Viognier, Bourboulenc, Roussanne
ABV: 13%
Residual sugar: <2 g
Approx. retail price: £24

A lovely, youthful white with notes of ripe pear and peach, along with some apricot richness, a white floral note, then a hint of brown bread, and a chalky, dry finish. An impressive and interesting wine.

Confidence – Beaumes de Venise

Producer: Rhonea
Region: Beaumes de Venise
Country: France
Vintage: 2021
Grape varieties: Syrah, Grenache
ABV: 14.5%
Residual sugar: <2 g
Approx. retail price: £25

An appealing red with aromas and flavours of red berries, dried herbs and white pepper, with a touch of pine needle and plums on the finish. Quite light, with some ripe fruit at the core, a touch of warming alcohol, then fresh acidity, and strong dry tannins, which give a firm structure to the wine.

Les Pierres du Vallat – Gigondas

Producer: Rhonea
Region: Gigondas
Country: France
Vintage: 2021
Grape varieties: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre
ABV: 14%
Residual sugar: <2 g
Approx. retail price: £34

An open youthful nose of cherry and plums leads into a palate with some fleshy red berry fruit complemented by cedar wood and white pepper, followed by plenty of firm, dry, grippy tannins on the finish.

Castellas – Vacqueyras

Producer: Rhonea
Region: Vacqueyras
Country: France
Vintage: 2020
Grape varieties: Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault
ABV: 15%
Residual sugar: <2 g
Approx. retail price: £27

Aromas of black cherry, spice, cooked fruit and crushed rocks are followed by flavours of black pepper, dark berry, cedar and balsamic flavours with some plums and chewy tannin on the warming finish.

Prestige – Rasteau

Producer: Rhonea
Region: Rasteau
Country: France
Vintage: 2020
Grape varieties: Grenache, Syrah, Mouvèdre
ABV: 15%
Residual sugar: <2 g
Approx. retail price: £24

A red with plenty of cooked plum, red berry and spice on the nose, with a palate featuring blackberry, sour cherry, plums, spice and cedar, with a warming, pepper and dark chocolate character on the finish, followed by dry, grainy tannins and warming alcohol.

Bois Doré – Muscat de Beaumes de Venise

Producer: Rhonea
Region: Muscat de Beaumes de Venise
Country: France
Vintage: 2010
Grape varieties: Muscat Petits Grains
ABV: 15%
Residual sugar: 110g/l
Approx. retail price: £41

A gold-coloured fortified wine with aged aromas of caramel and cooked apple with dried fruit and beeswax. The palate is complex, and evolved, with a lovely combination of grilled nuts, toast and raisins, with a honey-like sweet core and then an orange-like fresh finish, with a touch of warmth. A distinctive and delicious mature sweet fortified white wine.

Signature – Vin Doux Naturel Rasteau

Producer: Rhonea
Region: VDN Rasteau
Country: France
Vintage: Hors d’âge
Grape varieties: Grenache
ABV: 16.5%
Residual sugar: 90g/l
Approx. retail price: £39

An opaque appearance with ruby-port like aromas of blackberry, raisin, and liquorice. The palate is an interesting mix of sweet dark cherry, cooked black fruit, some raspberry and raisin, with plenty of sweetness, and further characters caramel chocolate, spice, cracked pepper. The finish is long, with plenty of dry grippy tannin, some cherry stone freshness, and some spirit warmth, but nothing fiery. A light and surprisingly drinkable fortified sweet red.

Vintage – Vin Doux Naturel Rasteau

Producer: Rhonea
Region: VDN Rasteau
Country: France
Vintage: Hors d’âge
Grape varieties: Grenache
ABV: 17%
Residual sugar: 90g/l
Approx. retail price: £39

Amber-coloured with some ruby glints, this is an aged, sweet-smelling wine with intense aromatics of dried fruit, nuts, balsamic and caramel. The palate is similar to aged tawny Port, with lots of sweetness, and flavours of caramel, and burnt sugar syrup, then some dried apricot, followed by hazelnuts and toasted almond, then toffee. There is a long warming finish, with touch of spirit, plenty of dry fine tannins, and a soft but present acidity. Delicious. Indulgent, very sweet, very aged and wonderful caramelised wine. hard not to drink – especially chilled.

The Villages

Les Mascarons – Côtes du Rhône Villages – Séguret

Producer: Rhonea
Region: Côtes du Rhône Villages – Séguret
Country: France
Vintage: 2021
Grape varieties: Grenache, Mourvèdre, Carignan
ABV: 13.5%
Residual sugar: <2 g
Approx. retail price: £14

An open wine with scents of soft ripe red berry fruit, some crushed strawberry, a touch of dried herbs, pepper and thyme. The palate is medium-weight and features plenty of red fruit that’s sweet and ripe, but not jammy, and then dry quite firm tannin, with a background note of pepper, fresh plum and touch of sour cherry. A pinot noir like wine, that’s balanced and easy, light but good.

Le Pont – Côtes du Rhône Villages – Vaison la Romaine

Producer: Rhonea
Region: Côtes du Rhône Villages – Vaison la Romaine
Country: France
Vintage: 2020
Grape varieties: Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault
ABV: 14.5%
Residual sugar: <2 g
Approx. retail price: £14

On the nose, there’s a lightly baked cherry and plum character, with ripe, cooked fruit. The palate has plenty of plums, and strawberry, and dark black berry characters too, with some baked fruit, along with grippy dry tannins, then sour stone cherry stone freshness on the long finish. Medium weight, with a nice ripe fleshy core, gently herbal notes, and then a chewy-dry character, and some warming alcohol.

Le Clocher – Côtes du Rhône Villages – Visan

Producer: Rhonea
Region: Côtes du Rhône Villages – Visan
Country: France
Vintage: 2020
Grape varieties: Grenache, Syrah, Carignan
ABV: 14%
Residual sugar: <2 g
Approx. retail price: £15

Open soft ripe fruit nose, strawberry and plum. Palate is medium weight with ripe strawberry, a touch of white pepper, plum and thyme, and a fine fresh dry tannic finish. Good, light and easy, with a lingering hint of sour plum, but sweet fruit at core.

Parcel Selections

Parcel Selections – La Ponche – Vacqueyras

Producer: Rhonea
Region: Vacqueyras
Country: France
Vintage: 2020
Grape varieties: Grenache, Syrah, Carignan
ABV: 15%
Residual sugar: <2 g
Approx. retail price: £25

Soft ripe sweet red berry fruit aromatics with a peppery edge. The palate shows a touch of wood, with cedar and cocoa flavours, then plums and ripe red cherries. The wine is fleshy and ripe, but medium weight, with a chewy finish, some bitterness, sour cherry, pepper spice and a firm grippy dry edge with some warming alcohol.

Parcel Selections – Les Encostes – Rasteau

Producer: Rhonea
Region: Rasteau
Country: France
Vintage: 2020
Grape varieties: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre
ABV: 15%
Residual sugar: <2 g
Approx. retail price: £23.50

Soft ripe red berry fruits on nose, hint of sweet orange and chocolate. Palate is medium weight, with some barrel-sourced characters, a touch of cedar, blood orange, plums, background dried herbs, then some dark cherry and black berry, touch of prune, cracked black pepper and firm dry tannins. Warming but not hot.

Parcel Selections – Bel Air – Beaumes de Venise

Producer: Rhonea
Region: Beaumes de Venise
Country: France
Vintage: 2020
Grape varieties: Grenache, Syrah
ABV: 14%
Residual sugar: <2 g
Approx. retail price: £23.50

Lovely nose with a syrah scent: tapenade, peppercorn, with black cherry beneath.

The palate is soft and fleshy, with blackcurrant, violets, tapenade and peppercorn, with some red cherry and dry fine lingering tannin. While grippy, it is not drying, nor bitter. Touch of cocoa powder. Not hot either, nice balance. Easy to drink. A lovely wine.

Parcel Selections – La Beaume – Beaumes de Venise

Producer: Rhonea
Region: Beaumes de Venise
Country: France
Vintage: 2019
Grape varieties: Grenache, Syrah
ABV: 14.5%
Residual sugar: <2 g
Approx. retail price: £23.50

Delicate nose, some dark fruits, spice, cedar, but the palate is fine with dark berry fruit, black cherry, plums, blackberries, dark bitter chocolate, cocoa, cedar and cracked pepper, along with a touch of prune, then a fresh finish, with firm, dense, dry tannins. Serious, youthful wine with potential for more. Good. layered. Very tannic, but ripe fruit profile too.

Parcel Selections – Trias – Beaumes de Venise

Producer: Rhonea
Region: Beaumes de Venise
Country: France
Vintage: 2019
Grape varieties: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre
ABV: 15.5%
Residual sugar: <2 g
Approx. retail price: £26

A nose with plenty of bright, juicy, ripe red berry fruit, and a touch of spice. On the palate is crushed strawberry, a hint of dried herbs, thyme, cracked pepper, then masses of dry mouthcoating tannin, with some fresh orange zest and plums on finish. Balanced, grippy, but lovely core of ripe red fruit, and appealing background spice. No sweet oak, but touch of cocoa powder. Hides its abv (which is 15.5%). Still seems very youthful.

Creations

N°4 – Vin Orange – Vin de France

Producer: Rhonea
Region: Vin de France
Country: France
Vintage: 2022
Grape varieties: Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Muscat blanc à petits grains
ABV: 11.5%
Residual sugar: <2 g
Approx. retail price: £22

A good example of a skin-contact white wine with a light orange appearance and notes of peach, tangerine, dried grass and tea leaves. In the mouth, there’s apricot and blood orange, along with bay leaf and a subtle, salty character, along with a lingering apple skin-like character. The finish is dominated by grippy dry tannins that make you salivate.

Les Artistes – Côtes du Rhône

Producer: Rhonea
Region: Côtes du Rhône
Country: France
Vintage: 2022
Grape varieties: Grenache, Syrah, Carignan
ABV: 11.5%
Residual sugar: <2 g
Approx. retail price: £11

Almost Beaujolais-like nose of pink bubblegum, it’s is open, soft, with red berry, strawberry jam. The palate also has lots of pink bubblegum, with some sweet strawberry, then firm fine dry tannins, some cherry stone, and a fresh finish. Easy, simple, light weight ripe fruity red, with some grip on the finish.