Winemaker Notes
From La Ferme du Mont's Premiere Côte, mostly on the Courthezon stretch to the foot of the Dentelles de Montmirail. Fermented without sulfur to produce fine tannins while preserving its original freshness. Full-bodied, ripe red fruit, spices and wild herbs (garrigues).
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
Based on grenache, this is tangy and fresh, the cherry notes deepening to blueberry as the wine takes on air. The wine stays lifted, buoyed by a saline minerality that keeps the flavors juicy and mouthwatering.
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.