Winemaker Notes
Intense ruby color with garnet glints. Very elegant with complex aromas of red berries, warm spices and dry forest floor. Warming and rich, its palate follows through from the nose with hints of cinnamon and red peppercorns married with ripe wild berries and prunes. The tannins are elegant giving way to a long toasted finish.
Blend: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Notes of blackberries, blueberries, licorice, lavender and rosemary. Full-bodied with firm, sleek tannins. Firm and dark-fruited with a tannic finish. Try in 2023.
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Decanter
Good concentration, and defined, fresh berry fruits. Grippy, upright textural tannins. And ending on sweet raspberry and damson. A spicy touch of star anise on the finish adds a little piquancy.
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Wine Enthusiast
A touch brighter and juicier than its sister bottling, the Domaine Grosset, the Création offers fresh, fruity blackberry and black cherry flavors balanced by a zesty spine of acidity. It's a more youthful expression of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvédre and Carignan framed by fine, silky tannins.
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Wine Spectator
There's a nice winey feel to this red, with dark plum and cherry puree flavors mixed with licorice and mesquite notes. Persistent on the finish, with a lingering graphite edge.
Located in Châteauneuf-du-Pape since 1931, the Brotte family own 3 exceptional estates in the Southern Rhone Valley. Here, Grenache is king and flourishes with its expressive fruit and is masterfully blended with Syrah and Mourvedre to add freshness and structure. Focused on protecting the environment, all Brotte Family estates are certified Sustainable by the Terra Vitis organization. As well as estate-grown wines, Maison Brotte collaborates with other growers to produce top quality wines from other appellations, including Condrieu, Côte Rôtie, Gigondas and Côtes de Provence. Their entire portfolio is consistently highly rated by the industries top publications and always reliable.
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.
An appellation full of some of the most delightful and particularly charming reds, Côtes du Rhône Villages includes the best villages of the greater Côtes du Rhône appellation. The possibility for an appellation promotion exists for every named village but each has to achieve and prove superior quality before an upgrade will be granted. The main ones today are Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Beaumes-de-Venise, Vinsobres, Rasteau and Cairanne.
The Gigondas appellation, while sometimes producing wines with a touch of rusticity, can often rival Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Its elevations are higher and soils richer in limestone. Vacqueyras reds are more concentrated than the more general Côtes du Rhône reds and must be at least one half comprised of Grenache by law. Beaumes de Venise also includes some excellent higher elevation spots for making snappy, fruity and spicy reds but historically the appellation’s esteem came from its fragrant, sweet and golden Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise.