VINSOBRES

There are some descriptors in wine that are always considered complimentary. ‘Fresh’ is one of them. Even in mature wines it’s always considered a virtue. So it’s not surprising that claiming freshness as a characteristic of their wines is something many appellations do, including Vinsobres. But thanks to its unique natural setting – a northerly location, high altitude and, crucially, wind – its wines genuinely do have an aerial quality rarely found in the southern Rhône. No wonder the canny Louis Barruol of Château de St-Cosme has just bought the 62ha Château de Rouanne there. ‘I’ve always loved the terroir; I’ve always adored Vinsobres,’ he says. ‘It