Winemaker Notes
Superb deep-ruby red color with purple reflections. The nose reveals a beautiful freshness and a seductive aromatic bouquet combining notes of red fruit, spices and white pepper with a hint of perfectly integrated toasted vanilla. Full bodied, greedy, very soft, the palate presents a very nice balance with freshness and aromas of black cherry jam. The finish is long with a beautiful aromatic intensity and velvety tannins. A wine of great elegance with good aging potential.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Very attractive red cherry fruit fills out the medium-bodied palate where the fine tannins underline this very well. Impressive length with plenty of licorice and a touch of candied citrus at the long, crisp and emphatically dry finish. A cuvee based on grenache and mourvedre. From organically grown grapes. Drink from release.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A terrific vintage for this wine, which was bottled just a couple of weeks prior to my late June visit, the 2021 Cotes du Rhone Coudoulet de Beaucastel is a blend of 30% each Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah, plus 10% Cinsault. From a vineyard just outside the boundaries of the appellation of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, it's a remarkably consistent wine and always a solid value. Scents of sunbaked stones, black cherries and licorice appear on the nose, joined by hints of purple raspberries and dark chocolate, while the medium to full-bodied palate is lush and velvety, finishing long and complex.
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.