Bonpas 2018 Grande Réserve des Challières Ventoux ($12.99)
Startlingly good for the price, this red Ventoux wine is made from typical Southern Rhône grapes: Syrah and Grenache show themselves clearly in bright red-berry and plum fruit, fragrant black pepper, and a subtle hint of bacon on the nose and palate, with pepper and intriguing stony minerality. Mourvèdre and Carignan are also in the blend. Good acidic balance makes it a fine companion with food, and palatable but distinct tannic astringency in the finish suggests at least moderate aging potential. It's probably above midway in the label's 11-14% range, but it's not hot nor harsh. This wine may not be easy to find, but grab it if you can. U.S. importer: Boisset America, St. Helena, Calif. (Nov. 26, 2020)FOOD MATCH: Food friendly and appropriately acidic, this would be a match with red wines and cheeses in general. It should be great with a traditional holiday feast involving roast poultry or beef, but it also proved beautiful with a hearty, umami-rich plant-based entree, a risotto made with roasted mushrooms and deeply browned onions with Parmigiano-Reggiano.
WHEN TO DRINK: It's delicious and ready to drink now, but I think it could age and perhaps evolve under good cellar conditions for three to five more years.
VALUE:
This is a great value at my local $13 price. Wine-Searcher.com lists a $14 average U.S. retail for the similar Cotes du Rhone Reserve de Bonpas.
WEB LINK
Here's the winery's fact sheet in English.
FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
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