Winemaker Notes
Deep and dark red. Shiny. On the nose fresh fruits with red berries and spices. On the palate full, round and racy. Rounded and smooth tannins. A full-bodied, rich and intensely aromatic wine. Overall a full wine with a long finish and plenty of elegance and finesse due to the well balanced tannins and fruit.
Blend: 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2018 Côtes du Rhône, which is a slightly more Syrah-dominated blend, offers more peppery, earthy notes as well as plenty of dark blue fruits, medium body, notable elegance, and solid balance. It’s a charming, attractive barrel sample that should drink nicely on release.
Range: 89-91 -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Looking more complex and complete than the 2017 at this point, the 2018 Cotes du Rhone still has a year or so of élevage ahead of it. It has a slightly herbal, briary note, dark berry fruit and hints of mocha on the full-bodied palate. Round and fleshy, it finishes smooth and velvety.
Range: 89-91
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.