AOC Ventoux wines awarded at the Gilbert & Gaillard International Challenge

A.O.C./A.O.P.

The Ventoux appellation spans 51 communes in the Vaucluse department, east of the Rhône, between the outskirts of Vaison-la-Romaine in the north and Apt in the south. The vineyard runs from the Dentelles de Montmirail to the northern foothills of the Luberon, wrapping around the base of Mont Ventoux, which rises to 1,912 metres and dominates the landscape. Soils rest on a limestone base: red Mediterranean soils, stony brown calcareous soils, and sandy soils derived from "safres," the sandy-marly formations typical of the Comtat; ochre sands and sandstone mark the southern sector, near the ocres de Roussillon. The climate is Mediterranean, though the altitude of Mont Ventoux brings a transition toward cooler influences: late-summer nights are cooler here than elsewhere in the department, while the relief tempers the mistral's force. Red and rosé wines are made mainly from grenache, syrah, cinsault, mourvèdre and carignan; whites from clairette, bourboulenc, grenache blanc and roussanne.

The wines of this appellation

Ventoux wines are still and dry, made in red, rosé and white, with red clearly dominant. Colour ranges from ruby to bright garnet. The reds are round, supple and warm, with tannins more refined than structured; fruity, spicy aromas evolve toward truffle, leather and game with age, while retaining a notable freshness. On stony clay-limestone soils they gain richness and ageing potential; on ochre sand and sandstone they become more aromatic and generous. They are best enjoyed within 3 to 5 years. The rosés, salmon to pale garnet in colour, show intense, lingering aromas of raspberry, cherry and flowers. The whites, still less common, favour aromatic complexity — pear, apple, citrus, white flowers — with a structure that makes them pleasant young, within 1 to 2 years. The reds pair with charcuterie and slow-cooked dishes, while the whites and rosés suit grilled fish and serve well as an aperitif.