Winemaker Notes
Pairs well with hearty meats, such as game.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Long-time American readers should already know this wine, as it has been a staple in the Eric Solomon portfolio for more than a decade. The 2016 Cotes du Rhone Andezon is 100% Syrah, aged entirely in tank. It's a lush, medium to full-bodied wine bursting with ripe blackberries and blueberries. No, it doesn't have the peppery spice of Syrah from the northern Rhône, but it does have enough cola-like spicy complexity to warrant an outstanding rating. Drink it over the next 3-4 years.
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Wine Spectator
Shows lovely purity from the get-go, with a stream of violet, raspberry and cassis aromas and flavors carried by a silky, racy structure. A flash of iron through the finish adds length and cut. Drink now through 2020.
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.