Paul Jaboulet Aine Ventoux Les Traverses Rouge 2018

Jaboulet's Ventoux Les Traverses is a classic southern Rhône blend of Grenache (80%) and Syrah (20%), from 35-year-old vines. Vines are grown on clay and limestone soils at the foot of Mont Ventoux in the southeast part of Rhône Valley - the very heart of the Ventoux appellation. Fermentation is in stainless steel to preserve its lovely bright fruit and freshness. Subtle note of espresso within the black cherry and plum fruit in this medium-bodied le vin. Good structure bridges the gap between fresh upfront fruit and the soft chewy tannins. The wine shows great balance, the hallmark of good winemaking, and an impressive finish for such a moderate priced wine. Although Grenache dominates the blend, this displays more of a Syrah character. Incredible value!

The historic french producer Paul Jaboulet built their reputation in the northern Rhone Valley with the wines La Chapelle Hermitage and Thalbert Crozes-Hermitage, but today we are taking a trip to the south for our new find - Paul Jaboulet Ventoux Les Traverses Rouge 2018.

This wine makes a serious case for the best buy in the store, with our sale price at only $8.97 a bottle!

Ventoux is a large mountainous wine region in the far Southeast of the Southern Rhône region, 30km to the east of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, on the border with Provence. In an area roughly 30 miles from North to South, the AOC Ventoux is made of 51 villages on the foot of the Mont Ventoux (1,909 meters above sea level), with a unique intermediate position between the Mediterranean and the Alps. On the western slopes and foothills of this iconic mountain are the vineyards of this appellation.

The Mont Ventoux mountain (often referred to as the "Giant of Provence") stands alone from the Alps mountain range - which it is technically a part of - and towers over the landscape for miles around. For fans of biking, Mont Ventoux has been the scene of one of the most grueling climbs in the Tour de France bicycle race. Its fame as a scene of great Tour dramas has made it a magnet for cyclists around the world.

The wines made in the Ventoux appellation are very similar to those of the Côtes du Rhône and employ much the same combination of grape varieties. The classic southern Rhone red grape varieties of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre are used in the production of most of these wines.

The name of Ventoux Les Traverses comes from the dry-stone walls which support the earth and protect it from the significant erosion where a strong wind, the Mistral, blows throughout the year.