Winemaker Notes
The color is purple-tinged garnet.The aromatic range of the nose goes from fresh berries (wild raspberry, blackcurrant, blackberry) to spices.The palate is big and full-flavored, with silky-smooth tannins and aromas of the fruit already mentioned. The finish introduces touches of licorice and pepper. A Cotes du Rhone with great complexity for an every day drinking.
Blend: 70% Grenache, 30% Syrah
This wine is astounding with any meal, but particularly with poultry and other white meats, as well as mild cheeses.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Moving to the reds under the Alain Jaume label, the 2016 Côtes du Rhône Haut de Brun is a 70/30 split of Grenache and Syrah brought up in stainless steel and concrete. Black cherries, blackberries, peppery herbs, and ample spice notes give way to a medium-bodied, beautifully balanced, lengthy beauty that shows the quality of this great vintage.
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Wine Enthusiast
Hints of sage and dried wild mint elevate this rich, densely concentrated red. The succulent black-plum palate is boldly fruity and primary but finessed by savory edges and taut, gripping tannins. It's an easy-drinking value wine that offers enough elegance for entertaining.
Best Buy
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.