Wine of the week: La Vieille Ferme 2019 (Vin de France, red)
Wine of the Week: La Vieille Ferme 2019 (Red, Vin de France)
The Rhone river is one of the greatest rivers in the world and was (and still is) a superhighway from the Mediterranean sea to the center of France. It was the Roman and Greek access to France (then Gaul). The river banks are privileged vineyards sites and terroirs from Château Grillet, Condrieu, Cote Rotie and Hermitage in the north to Chateauneuf du Pape in the south. The vineyards of the Rhone valley also produce among the most affordable wines from France : Crozes-Hermitage, St. Joseph in the north and Cotes du Rhone, Côtes du Ventoux (a favorite subject of impressionist painters especially Paul Cezanne) in the south and now, “Vin de France”, a new designation allowing producers to blend from different wine growing districts (for all French producers).
George Coulomb‘s lovely painting of the Mont Ventoux (the birthplace of La Vieille Ferme) reprinted here with the permission of the artist:
Read more here about the Rhone: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rh%C3%B4ne
And more about Rhone Valley wines here: https://www.vins-rhone.com/en/vineyard/history
La Vieille Ferme (“the old farm”) is one such wine and is also one of France’s best selling wines. And for good reason: it is delicious! Blended from among the most important grape varietals of southern France, Grenache, Carignan, Cinsault and Syrah), the wine is a crowd-pleaser: full of flavor without an excess of alcohol. La Vieille Ferme is the definition of a “vin de soif” (a wine to be drunk not discussed, to refresh the palate not dull the brain). The wine has its origin, it’s roots, in the Cotes du Ventoux and there is still a Ventoux appellation wine produced with the name La Vieille Ferme.
It will accompany all kinds of food, especially spicy North African cooking (Moroccan fish stew, yum!). The wine is made by the illustrious Perrin family who are proprietors of one of the great “grand-cru” of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Chateau de Beaucastel but are also partners with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in the Provencal estate, Miraval. La Vieille Ferme produces an excellent white and rose too. All of the wines are best drunk in their youth. Look for the most recent vintage available. Derech Hayin stores are a good source in Israel and the wines are available in most markets world wide too. Under 75 NIS in Israel and usually around or under 15 USD and 12 GPB.
