Winemaker Notes
Vibrant purple raspberries mark the nose and palate, lingering elegantly on the finish and picking up hints of wild thyme and bay leaf. I'd rather drink this than some underachieving producer's Châteauneuf, and it should be uncommonly long-lived for a Côtes du Rhône.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The dense, full-bodied 2019 Cotes du Rhone Les Garrigues manages to be that without ever seeming heavy, overdone or chocolaty. Vibrant purple raspberries mark the nose and palate, lingering elegantly on the finish and picking up hints of wild thyme and bay leaf. I'd rather drink this than some underachieving producer's Châteauneuf, and it should be uncommonly long-lived for a Côtes du Rhône.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Loads of kirsch liqueur, ground pepper, garrigue, and some obvious earthy minerality emerge from the 2019 Côtes du Rhône Les Garrigues, a wine that pushes on the ripeness level while staying balanced, seamless, and weightless. This opulent, hedonistic Grenache is going to keep for 8-10 years.
Grenache thrives in any warm, Mediterranean climate where ample sunlight allows its clusters to achieve full phenolic ripeness. While Grenache's birthplace is Spain (there called Garnacha), today it is more recognized as the key player in the red blends of the Southern Rhône, namely Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Côtes du Rhône and its villages. Somm Secret—The Italian island of Sardinia produces bold, rustic, single varietal Grenache (there called Cannonau). California, Washington and Australia have achieved found success with Grenache, both flying solo and in blends.
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.