tulette

Tulette is located in the Departement of the Drome, which is named for the Drome River that cuts through the area. The village is on the very southern edge adjacent to the Vauclusse, and in fact is bordered to the eaast by the Vaucluse as well- it’s wedged in between the main territory of the Vaucluse and the Papal Exclave, a bit of Vaucluse floating in the Drome due to a quirk of history.

Tulette produces wines under two Cotes du Rhone Villages appellations- AOC Côtes du Rhône Villages Suze-la-Rousse; and AOC Côtes du Rhône Villages Suze-la-Rousse. Both CDRV appellations were created in 2016. These lands have been largely under vine since at least the Middle Ages, when they were part of the Principality of Orange.

climate & terroir

The Drome spans a transition from Mediterranean to Continental climates, and runs from semiarid to verdant. Tulette and its near neighbors are at its southern edge, has a fully Mediterranean climate dominated by the Mistral- the north wind blowing down the Rhone valley and cooling the vineyards. Summers are hot and dry, with most rainfall occurring in fall and winter. Winters are mild, with rare freezing temperatures. The hot dry summers provide great ripeness, while cooling breezes preserve acidity.

The average elevation of the vineyards in Vinsobres is around 1000 ft, running from the town’s high plateau down to the Aigues River, a tributary of the Rhone. Soils run from calcareous conglomerate on the plateau through pebbly screes on the slopes down to Pliocene river terraces of sandy gravel and clay. These variations are classified locally into four soil types- Les Collines, Le Plateau, Le Coteau, and the Première Terrasse. As a result, wine styles can be quite variable within a very small area, but are generally well-structured wines with good aging potential.

Domaine les asseyras

Domaine Les Asseyras is based in Tulette, but owns lands in a swath of territory extending up into Valreas inside the nearby Paptial Exclave.

The estate has belonged to Etienne Blanc’s family since 1937. Etienne, who took over winemaking in his father’s Daniel’s death in 1987, is an "all in“ winemaker. From vine training to enology, he does everything himself on his 37-acre, organically farmed estate. Etienne takes pride in three things: protecting the environment, honoring his father's memory, and making wines in mall batch, entirely by hand.

The wine

Cotes du Rhone “Le Rieu”: This wine comes from a parcel at nearly 1000ft elevation on clay-rich riverine soils. The soils are honored in the cuvee name, which translates to “the creek.” A blend of Grenache and Syrah, destemmed and vinified to emphasize bright, fresh fruit. Ripe and juicy with beautiful balance.

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