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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Ogier Condrieu Les Vieilles Vignes de Jacques Vernay 2019A beauty, offering a more fruit-forward, sexy, supple style as well as textbook peach, white flowers, and honeysuckle aromas and flavors. Textured and balanced, with a great finish, it's ideal for drinking over the coming 4-6 years. JEB DUNNUCK
The vintage plays an inevitable role here, it is a gorgeous rendition of this wine, the white that accompanies Stephanes revered reds, and has the track record to back it up, as well as the mountains of press. This is the current release to Australia and the few years in the bottle have drawn out more of those robust, ripe and rich stone fruit notes. It's still essentially a pup but you see some move towards expansion on the palate and more nuance now on the nose. More clearly defined aromatics that offer up hedonistic and sweetly perfumed fruit, wild flowers, nectarine and a glass full of mixed citrus juice (only way I can think of describing that character). It leans in to sensuality in the mouth, there it caresses as it easily fills your palate with its delectable fruit salad like array of flavours. It is easy to miss the force behind it, almost, it really hits the finish hard with a burst of rocky minerality and an emphatic punch of intensity that leaves your palate feeling stained. For me this is where I would like to drink this wine. While both youthful enthusiasm and some richer elements are at play. There is no doubt in my mind that most fans of Condrieu will ignore that and throw this in the cellar for a decade. Don't get me wrong, the wine will be super then too. I just love the power that 19 brings with the vigour and liveliness of Stephane's style and I find this part of its life to be particularly enjoyable. It's a tremendous effort. ROSCOE
2019ViognierFrance467$225.00 As low as $202.50 -
Coursodon Vin de France Etincelle Blanc 2022A viognier dominant wine supported by Marsanne from a high altitude vineyard at the to of Mauves on the border of the appellation. This medium-bodied white Rhone is a delight, because it is brimming with fresh stone fruit aromas. …the balance of ripeness and spring-like freshness is spot on. A cuvee of roussanne and viognier grown on granite soils at high altitude. Vinified only in stainless steel. Drink now. STUART PIGGOT
2022Roussane, ViognierFrance467$65.00 As low as $58.50 -
Coursodon Vin de France Etincelle Blanc 2021A blend of 70% Viognier, 30% Roussanne from high-altitude single site at the top of the village of Mauves and at the edge of the Saint-Joseph appellation. Decomposed granite (like Hermitage) that is sand-like in texture. All fermented in stainless steel.2019Roussane, ViognierFrance467$65.00 As low as $58.50