Winemaker Notes
A beautiful dark color, the nose shows pretty notes of red fruit, raspberries, wild strawberries, spices and garrigue. The palate is powerful, full, with great finesse. The tannins are velvety and the finish has great length.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Tasted as a sample blended from several foudres, the 2018 Cotes du Rhone Coudoulet de Beaucastel features scents of sun-warmed stones and ripe raspberries. Medium to full-bodied, it's plush and open-knit, already giving a lot of pleasure, and finishing zesty and long.
Barrel Sample: 91-93
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Jeb Dunnuck
From a vineyard just across the A7 interstate, on the northern edge of Châteauneuf Du Pape and not far from the estate, the 2018 Côtes Du Rhône Coudoulet De Beaucastel offers a pretty, medium to full-bodied, elegant profile that’s a great introduction into the 2018 vintage. Complex notes of garrigue, peppery spice, and dark fruits all emerge from this nuanced, balanced effort that will drink well right out of the gate.
Rating: 89-91
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Wine Spectator
Solidly built, with a core of dark plum, fig and black licorice notes that meld together, while warm earth and a swath of tobacco move in on the finish. Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah and Cinsault.
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Decanter
An accessible and succulent Cotes de Rhône with gentle smoke and layers of garrigue, earth, leather and blackberries. No need to wait to drink this, it's one to crack open and enjoy. This goes through the Place only for China, Hong Kong and Macau. 10% Cinsault completes the blend. Drinking Window 2020 - 2032
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.