Winemaker Notes
Enjoy with grilled, roasted or stewed pork, beef, duck, veal and lamb. This wine is perfect with pizza or your favorite Asian dishes. Also a great pairing with both soft and hard cheeses.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Bright, red berries, dried flowers and wild herbs make for a classic style on the nose. Plush, even, elegant and fine tannins map out a fresh palate with plenty of fresh, red-fruit flavors. Drink or hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The plush, velvety, fruit-forward 2016 Cotes du Rhone Villages les Cassagnes de la Nerthe is a medium to full-bodied beauty. No, it's not the most complex wine, but it delivers tons of almond-tinged cherries, ample concentration and waves of supple tannins. The fruit here is compelling.
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.
An appellation full of some of the most delightful and particularly charming reds, Côtes du Rhône Villages includes the best villages of the greater Côtes du Rhône appellation. The possibility for an appellation promotion exists for every named village but each has to achieve and prove superior quality before an upgrade will be granted. The main ones today are Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Beaumes-de-Venise, Vinsobres, Rasteau and Cairanne.
The Gigondas appellation, while sometimes producing wines with a touch of rusticity, can often rival Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Its elevations are higher and soils richer in limestone. Vacqueyras reds are more concentrated than the more general Côtes du Rhône reds and must be at least one half comprised of Grenache by law. Beaumes de Venise also includes some excellent higher elevation spots for making snappy, fruity and spicy reds but historically the appellation’s esteem came from its fragrant, sweet and golden Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise.