November Wine Focus: Côtes du Rhône and its Villages

[Jenise]

Tim, it was the Reserve de Seigneurs. Didn't realize the winery sold. Isn't Mont Redon's reputation excellent? I'd thought so, an old one from the 60's is one of the best mature CdPs I've ever had, but what was then may not be what's now.

Tim, it was the Reserve de Seigneurs. Didn't realize the winery sold. Isn't Mont Redon's reputation excellent? I'd thought so, an old one from the 60's is one of the best mature CdPs I've ever had, but what was then may not be what's now.

Yes, Mont-Redon has long been a highly respected name. However, when I did a search on it in the RVF and Bettane/Desseauve annual guides, I found that it had dropped out of the former and only got a lukewarm write-up for recent vintages in the latter, well behind the likes of Mont-Olivet, Vieux Télégraphe, Janasse, Beaucastel, Rayas, etc. Mont-Redon is already a very large property of 150 hectares of which 100 ha in CndP and the rest in the Lirac and CDR appellations. Adding in Oratoire's 20 ha could be a stretch.

Vacqueyras is a former CDRV village which acquired its own autonomous AOP in 1990. It is located on the south side of les Dentelles de Montmirail, quite close to Gigondas. I love the wines from both when well sourced.

2017 Dauvergne Ranvier Vacqueyras De Natura Rerum - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Vacqueyras (22/11/2020)
I don't think my previous TN captured properly the true essence of this wine and thereby led me into a pairing error. The duck dish was accompanied by red cabbage prepared in a sweet manner and this called for sweetish Grenache fruit found in many CDRV villages and not the more savoury, dark complexioned and tangy fruit we have here. The sweetness of the cabbage emphasised the clayey minerality, sharpened the acidity, brought out the firmness of the tannins and caused a clash. After the dish was finished, the wine came back into balance and I fully appreciated its gutsy and forthright character. Very good.

Posted from CellarTracker

As usual nice notes from Tim.
Rep was in town promoting Domaine de la Mordoree new releases so I pulled my last 2015 Cuvee de la Reine des Bois and took it down the the store.
Color was still youthful, cherry, licorice on the nose with some dark black fruits. It tasted like blackberry, cassis, and raisins. Medium bodied plus, good length not high in acidity. Very enjoyable and tasting some newer vintages, this domaine remains on track.

As usual nice notes from Tim.
Rep was in town promoting Domaine de la Mordoree new releases so I pulled my last 2015 Cuvee de la Reine des Bois and took it down the the store.
Color was still youthful, cherry, licorice on the nose with some dark black fruits. It tasted like blackberry, cassis, and raisins. Medium bodied plus, good length not high in acidity. Very enjoyable and tasting some newer vintages, this domaine remains on track.

Bob, I've had some memorable wines from Mordoréee, though occasionally IMO a bit overblown. I think the estate does a Reine des Bois cuvée in both Châteauneuf du Pape and Lirac (red and white) as well as in Tavel for the pink. Which red was this?

As Robin said at the beginning, CdR is reliable and versatile, and if I've had a few that didn't excite, I've never had one that disappointed. I learned a long time ago that CdR is a reliable choice from a poor restaurant wine list.

I was looking for a wine to accompany a chicken in slow-cooked cannellini beans dish and I chose
2019 Famille Jaume The Wine Society's Côtes du Rhône

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This is one of The Wine Society's standard range, labelled for them. I got it in a 'mystery case' at at saving of £1.70 (while their cellar shop is operating under Covid restrictions they are selling wines that would otherwise be on the bin-ends shelves in mystery cases - so wines no longer listed and ones with stained or torn labels. This one had a stained label, presumably another bottle in the shipping case was broken.)

Glad to see a screwcap, good colour, steady red wine with hint of garrigue. Nothing really much to say, just a great friendly quaffer.

When I used to drive to Brussels several times a year for work I'd stop at the booze supermarkets at Calais and get cases of Guigal CdR, paying French prices rather than the heavily taxed UK price. Lovely stuff, but when I see the price now I balk.

This is one of The Wine Society's standard range, labelled for them.

When I used to drive to Brussels several times a year for work I'd stop at the booze supermarkets at Calais and get cases of Guigal CdR, paying French prices rather than the heavily taxed UK price. Lovely stuff, but when I see the price now I balk.

The Wine Society with its excellent selections is one of the UK institutions which I miss living in France. However, it is unlikely that I will buy any more wine from them since they have closed their French shop and personal exports from the UK are likely to be very difficult after the Brexit transition period.

What is the current price range for Guigal's CdR in the UK? It can be had here at €7.50/bottle plus transport for 6 minimum but I paid nearly €10 for one at a local supermarket.

Here is a TN on a CDRV Laudun from the right bank of the Rhône. It is sweeter fruited than the left bankers from around the Dentelles de Montmirail and worked better than my recent Vacqueyras with the remainder of red cabbage.

2018 Domaine Pélaquié Côtes du Rhône Villages Laudun - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages Laudun (27/11/2020)
This, very like the 2016, is an appealing red Laudun showing medium+ body and attractive sweet dark cherry infused fruit, a sprinkling of Provençal spices and suave texture balanced by decent acidity and good firmness towards the finish. At <€7, this is both good wine and excellent QPR.
Posted from CellarTracker

Gigondas was the first village to emancipate itself from the CDRV appellation and produces some really fine bottles which respond well to 10-15 years ageing.

2009 Domaine du Cayron Gigondas - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Gigondas (24/12/2020)
This is the best bottle of the three I bought. In many ways it was showing more evolution and complexity than the bottle nearly two years ago but thankfully there were none of the cabbage hints of that bottle which made me fear imminent decay. Both nose and palate showed attractive aromas of spice sprinkled mature bramble infused fruit on a dark complexioned medium++ body with an underlying roundness sprinkled with oil and old book together with smooth texture and acidity and residues of a ripe tannic backbone. I doubt if this will get any better but it should hold for a while. Very good.
Posted from CellarTracker

Nice note Tim. Prices for Gigondas are over $45 here and rising. Here is a Ventoux a pal found last year in Vegas.

2016 Domaine Olivier B. Ventoux les Amidyues.

Still has nice depth of color, decanted 2 hrs which seemed to work. Overall a very nice balanced wine with very good length. Enticing Rhone aromatics..garrigue, red fruits, plum blackberry. Will have to find out how much Syrah here.
"Earthy..savory" from across the table. Blackberry and blueberry fruits, I found finish quite spicy with pepper and herbs. The tannins were still present but with rib eye steak, it all worked out nicely. Overall, think needs some time.