By Lawrence B. Johnson

This is the story of a sleeping beauty: Domaine Les Aphillanthes’ Grenache-rich blend called “1921,” from the village of Rasteau in the heart of France’s Southern Rhône Valley. It was the surprise hit of a recent Rhône tasting with friends.

Even among Rhône wine fanciers, Rasteau may yet be under the radar as a source of quality dry reds. But the village has long been known for its sweet, fortified red Vin Doux Naturel – which more than 70 years ago earned Rasteau the designation of Appellation d’Origine Contrôllée (AOC) exclusively for that wine.

It was only in 2010 that Rasteau finally gained AOC status for its dry reds, which until then had occupied the lower designation Côtes du Rhône Villages. Yet even in its elevated status, Rasteau doubtless lags in name recognition behind Southern Rhône fixtures like Gigondas and Vacqueyras. Its merit, however, could hardly be spelled out more clearly than in Domaine Les Aphillanthes’ 2012 Rasteau “1921.”

The “1921” – named for the year in which the vineyard was planted – is 90 percent Grenache, the remainder a mix of Mourvèdre and Carignane. Scents of blackberry and currant dominate the nose of this reddish-purple wine. On the palate, the “1921” augmented those dark fruits with a hint of licorice while offering up the creamy texture and complexity that made it a favorite in our tasting circle. That said, this pleasurable Rasteau needed a couple of hours of decanting before it lost the explosively forward fruit that characterized the wine out of the bottle.

But allowed that aeration time, Les Aphillanthes’ Rasteau “1921” gave the impression of a patrician wine – at the very modest price of $28.

Nobility well befits Domaine Brusset’s Gigondas Les Hauts de Montmirail 2012 ($37), a concentrated and luscious blend of 55 percent Grenache, 25 percent Mourvèdre and 20 percent Syrah. Here is an exemplar of the depth and spicy richness that distinguish wines of the Southern Rhône at their most appealing.

The color is deep purple, the nose an inviting mélange of plum and earth with a trace of mint. This well-structured wine presents the acid needed to support flavors of red plum and black cherry accented by vanilla from a restrained influence of oak. There’s ample body here, and a good finish. The 2012 Hauts de Montmirail is a natural accompaniment to roast pork or beef dishes.

While Domaine Brusset’s impressive Gigondas drinks well now, it also possesses the tannins and acidic backbone for medium-term aging – say, 10 years. This is a wine worth laying aside. The rewards down the road should be substantial, though you might want to make annual stops along the way to see how it’s faring.

Tags: Domaine Brusset, Domaine Brusset Gigondas Les Hauts de Montmirail 2012, Domaine Les Aphillanthes, Domaine Les Aphillanthes’ 2011 Rasteau Cuvée 1921, Gigondas, Rasteau