Winemaker Notes
Blend: 40% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 15% Cinsault, 10% Carignan, 5% Counoise
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Mordoree's Cotes du Rhone is a classic blend built around 40% Grenache and 30% Syrah, with smaller amounts of the other permitted varieties. The result combines scents of leather and roasted meat with cherries and dark overtones of cocoa and coffee. It's a nicely balanced, full-bodied wine, with just a touch of coarseness to its texture. Drink now-2016.
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Wine Spectator
This dark, juicy red delivers a blast of black cherry and crushed plum fruit, with notes of violet and anise. Solid length.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
Typically thought of as a baby Chateâuneuf-du-Pape, the term Côtes du Rhône actually doesn’t merely apply to the flatter outskirts of the major southern Rhône appellations, it also includes the fringes of well-respected northern Rhône appellations. White wines can be produced under the appellation name, but very little is actually made.
The region offers some of the best values in France and even some first-rate and age-worthy reds. Red wine varieties include most of the Chateâuneuf-du-Pape varieties like Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, and Counoise, as well as Carignan. White grapes grown include Grenache blanc, Roussanne and Viognier, among others.