Product Line
Rhone valley
Northern Rhone
The Rhone Valley is kept in check by a sweeping Mistral wind that is tunnelled from the north of Rhone to the open and flatter southern Rhone. The Rhone river runs through the valley dividing the schist and granite soils.
The Northern Rhone is a difficult place to grow grapes, the slopes are steep to work and costly. Most of the wines grown are premium styles and its production is tiny when compared to Southern Rhone. Syrah hits new heights here in the form of spicy delights.
Red or White? Mainly red with a small amount of white made. And there is a blend where red and white is co-fermented together in Cote Rotie. Syrah with a splash of viognier - a rarity!
Grapes
White: Viognier, Marsanne, Roussanne
Red: Syrah
Styles
This is spicy syrah land - black olives, smoked meats, cooking spices and heady florals are common tasting descriptors. And the tannins can be firm and fine in youth, becoming slender with age. The whites are richer and fleshy, viognier is the queen of hedonism.
Favourite Producers
Guigal, Coursodon, Pierre Gonon, JL Chave, Bernard Faurie, Balthazar, Stephane Ogier
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Southern Rhone
Grenache reigns supreme in the south, although it is commonly blended with Mourvedre and syrah. Planted throughout the region, Grenache loves the warmth and sunny exposition made available to it in southern Rhone. Look out for the galette pebbles found in Chateauneuf du Pape - these heat up during the day and the extra warmth overnight continues to ripen the grapes on the old bush vines.
From rosé to affordable weekday pizza wines (Cotes du Rhone blends) through to ageable beauties like Chateauneuf du Pape, Grenache is a chameleon of grapes centred around vibrant red fruits and slippery tannins.
Red or white? Red and a little rose. There's also a small amount of a fortified white called Muscat de Beaume de Venise
Grapes
White: Muscat a Petits Grains
Red: Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah
Styles
Cotes du Rhone are the cheerful wines you want to reach for mid-week. Their fleshy and fruit nature make them deliciously enjoyable and they won't burn a hole in your pocket. The pinnacle of Grenache is reached in Chateauneuf du Pape wines. These have built-in structure and can age gracefully for many years. Look out for Village or Cru wines such as Vinsobres, Vaquerays, Gigondas as these are a happy medium between the bookend styles.
Favourite Producers
Font du Courtedune, Rayas, Beaucastel, Chateau de Fonsalette, Marcoux, Mont Redon
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Jean Luc Jamet Cote Rotie Les Terrasses 2019The star of the show is the 2019 Côte Rôtie Terrasses, which can thought of as a hypothetical mix of the 2017 and 2018, with perhaps a nod to the 2017. Both red and black fruits, peppery herbs, dried flowers, graphite, and a beautiful sense of minerality define the bulk of the aromatics, and it's medium to full-bodied on the palate, with fine, building tannins, terrific overall balance, and a great finish. From a vintage that produced ripe, tannic wines, this stays balanced and pure and is loaded with potential. (96) JEB DUNNUCK
2019Shiraz ViognierFrance467$295.00 As low as $265.50 -
Cuilleron Cote Rotie Bassenon 202090% Syrah, 10% Viognier, from gneiss soils in southern sector, Bassenon the name of stream at foot of hill, official vineyard name Coteaux de Semons
Full, hearty red robe. The bouquet is full, but precise in its fruit declaration, has a smoky-oak coolness, lines up cassis, blue fruits. The palate carries the softness of Bassenon, is supple in feel, offers a gourmand set of mixed fruits, plums, carries squeezy, engaging tannins, ends on a wheel of roundness. It's attractive and true. Drink 2025-2047 5 STARS JOHN LIVINGSTONE-LEARMONTH
Vivid purple. Intense, sharply focused aromas of ripe red and blue fruits, licorice, exotic spices, apricot and olive. Stains the palate with sappy cherry, boysenberry and candied violet flavors. It steadily picks up spice and mineral flourishes with aeration. Well-concentrated and lively as well, finishing with excellent clarity, sneaky tannins and strong, floral-driven tenacity. Drink 2027-37 (95) JOSH RAYNOLDS
2019Shiraz ViognierFrance467$170.00 As low as $153.00