La Luminaille
| Vigneron | Nicolas Brès and Julie Paolucci |
| Location | Rasteau (Vaucluse) |
| Size of Domaine | 17 ha |
| Terroir | Mediterranean climate, Mistral (northern wind) influence. Clay-limestone, blue and grey marls, galets roulés, limestone bedrock. Gentle slopes on terraces. 250m altitude. |
| Viticulture | Practising organic and working towards certification |
| View La Luminaille wines ↓ |
The lieu-dit La Luminaille is a special place in local folklore, found behind the village of Rasteau, to the north of the appellation and surrounded by hills reaching 400m, it takes its name from the olive leaves’ extraordinary radiance during a full moon.
A contiguous 17ha estate with a high concentration of old vines (Rasteau’s undeniable advantage over its neighbours), La Luminaille has some of the best terroirs in the AC, where deep sedimentary soils have plenty of CNDP style stones, fragments of calcaire from the Alps, and sit on precious water-retaining marls (blue and grey).
Julie Paolucci is the fifth generation at the domaine, she took the helm after her father’s sudden passing away and was joined by her partner Nicolas Brès, previously chef de culture for organic estates in the region.
Starting in 2015, they assiduously ploughed the soils, applied organic principles aiming for natural balance among their vines, and in doing so reduced yields to an average of 30hh (sometimes 15hh for very old vines). Julie‘s fine palate (she used to work as a somm in top Parisian restaurants) combined to Nicolas’ expertise produce balanced, clear cut wines with a mineral touch, and real digestibilité helped by low levels of sulphur – a consequent and promising result after only a handful of harvests!
No wonder the headstrong Jérôme Bressy (Gourt de Mautens) vouches for La Luminaille, the only name he is willing to drop when asked about like-minded vignerons in Rasteau.
La Luminaille Wines
La Luminaille
30yo vines here planted on clay-based terraces near the forest of Rasteau at 350m altitude where it is a little cooler and more humid. The clairette was macerated on the skins for 24h for a little extra texture, and the finished wine was then cuve aged. The malos often don’t take place although they are not intentionally blocked. The wine has freshness, low alcohol and a lovely density. Freshly sliced pear on the nose, a hint of provencal herbs on the palate and fine bitters on the finish. Total sulphur of only 40mg/l.
La Luminaille
This wine comes from 30yo vines, planted on a south-west slope close to the forest in limestone, clay and sand. Aged in older demi-muids, and given one day’s skin contact for a little extra texture, it offers nicely defined orange and peach fruits with a touch of pear skin (it feels very close to the fresh cut grapes) with an attractive salinity, and some food friendly bitters on the finish.
La Luminaille
The objective here was to make a wine with local character, good fruits and elegance, not a concentrated wine that would demand too much bottle age. Mainly cuve aged with just one third in older barrels, there is attractive, clear-cut cherry and raspberry fruit, some liquorice, spice and Provence herbs, all with a very digeste quality.
La Luminaille
A very delicately extracted example, much paler in colour than the VDN from Trapadis. Cuve aged, and ‘muté’ at 8%, it offers cherry/blackberry fruit with a hint of menthol and spice and is light on its feet with a digeste quality, very fine tannins and clear-cut on the finish.