Winemaker Notes
Pairs with charcuterie, cheeses and classic meat stew effortlessly.
Blend: 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Value seekers need to latch on to a few bottles of the 2016 Côtes du Rhône from Domaine de la Solitude. This Provençal beauty boasts notes of peppery herbs, dark fruits, and incense, is medium to full-bodied, has tons of fruit, and a great finish. It’s ideal for drinking over the coming 3-4 years.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: This wine is so good that it is almost boring. The 2016 Domaine de la Solitude Côtes du Rhône Rouge is dictionary-perfect. TASTING NOTES: This wine is ripe, firm, and persistent. Its aromas and flavors of red and black fruits accented with savory spices should pair it well with braised meat dishes. (Tasted: October 1, 2018, San Francisco, CA)
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.