Winemaker Notes
The nose is deep and with ample red fruit flavors. It offers a frank attack and a beautiful acidity. Saline freshness, but with at spicy and peppery undertone, Saint-Agathe, produced from old Syrah vines planted in the Condrieu appellation area, plays remarkably well ,a very pretty wine crafted with art like all the wines of the Domaine.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
A gorgeous, soaring nose of violets and rose, Turkish delight and pink peppercorns. Light-bodied, so vibrant and appealing with lovely acidity that really cuts through the wine. Not long, but explosively aromatic. A good option if you're budget won't stretch to blonde-side Côte-Rôtie.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
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.