The wine region of Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages is located in the region of Côtes-du-Rhône of Rhone Valley of France. Wineries and vineyards like the Domaine Richaud or the Domaine Rotem & Mounir Saouma produce mainly wines red, white and sweet. The most planted grape varieties in the region of Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages are Mourvèdre, Viognier and Roussanne, they are then used in wines in blends or as a single variety. On the nose of Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages often reveals types of flavors of cherry, anise or orange blossom and sometimes also flavors of almonds, lemon or apricot.
In the mouth of Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages is a powerful with a nice balance between acidity and tannins. We currently count 499 estates and châteaux in the of Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages, producing 877 different wines in conventional, organic and biodynamic agriculture. The wines of Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or game (deer, venison).
Roussane is a white grape variety, planted on an area of more than 700 ha. Originally from Montélimar, it is also found in Savoie, Languedoc and Roussillon, and grows very well in calcareous, poor, stony soil. It prefers to be pruned short. Roussane is also called fromenteau, barbin or bergeron. The young leaves are bubbled with fine down. When adult, they become thicker. It flowers in June and matures in mid-September. The grapes are cylindrical in shape, the berries are small and turn red when ripe, and the wine produced from pure Roussane is of extraordinary quality. It has a delicate aroma reminiscent of coffee, honeysuckle, iris and peony. The taste of this wine improves with age. It is part of the blend of the appellations Vin-de-Savoie, Côtes-du-Vallée du Rhône or Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
wines from the region of Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or game (deer, venison) such as recipes of meat and goat pie, tomatoes, zucchini, potatoes stuffed moroccan style with... or alsatian wine pie.
On the nose in the region of Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages often reveals types of flavors of raspberry, blackberry or black cherries and sometimes also flavors of strawberries, earthy or dark fruit. In the mouth in the region of Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages is a powerful with a nice balance between acidity and tannins.
In preparation for this column I tasted 46 reds in total, and – taking both quality and value into account – I can recommend 33 of them. Overall, the reds were less consistent than the whites, and although the lows were lower, the highs were higher. This tasting confirmed that it’s still possible to buy genuinely excellent northern Rhône reds for under £30 in the UK. That being said, it’s virtually impossible to find any Cornas, Côte-Rôtie or Hermitage for under £30 a bottle these days, but ther ...
Think of Colombia, think of balmy evenings dancing to salsa, fuelled by shots of aguardiente and arepas. But there’s plenty more than the anise-based spirit and cornmeal cakes to sample in the South American country. Chefs have stepped up their game to put gastronomy on the map, with sommeliers and bartenders following suit. Not just appreciating local ingredients and distilling spirits, they also seek out wines from around the world to accompany fine-dining experiences. Their endeavours have pa ...
When I have some time to myself in the southern Rhône, my favourite place to relax is the peaceful village of Gigondas. I had even more reason to visit this June, as the growers’ syndicate was celebrating the 50th anniversary of the appellation. Over a meal at Domaine du Clos des Tourelles, we had the opportunity to taste wines spanning five decades, including a remarkable 1971 that was still very much alive and kicking. Gigondas has long been recognised as an exceptional site for winemaking, bu ...
