The wine region of Côtes-du-Rhône is located in the region of Rhône méridional of Rhone Valley of France. Wineries and vineyards like the Château de Beaucastel or the Chateau de Fonsalette produce mainly wines red, white and pink. The most planted grape varieties in the region of Côtes-du-Rhône are Mourvèdre, Viognier and Marsanne, they are then used in wines in blends or as a single variety. On the nose of Côtes-du-Rhône often reveals types of flavors of pineapple, red plum or sour cherry and sometimes also flavors of truffle, juniper or clove.
In the mouth of Côtes-du-Rhône is a powerful with a nice balance between acidity and tannins. We currently count 1765 estates and châteaux in the of Côtes-du-Rhône, producing 4241 different wines in conventional, organic and biodynamic agriculture. The wines of Côtes-du-Rhône go well with generally quite well with dishes of pork, rich fish (salmon, tuna etc) or mature and hard cheese.
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.
red wines from the region of Côtes-du-Rhône go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or game (deer, venison) such as recipes of beef fashion, leg of lamb with baked potatoes or giant paella cooked on a wood fire.
On the nose in the region of Côtes-du-Rhône often reveals types of flavors of cream, toasty or hazelnut and sometimes also flavors of boysenberries, graphite or ripe strawberries. In the mouth in the region of Côtes-du-Rhône is a powerful with a nice balance between acidity and tannins.
At a national committee meeting held on Thursday 8th September, members of the Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité (INAO) voted unanimously to ratify the change to the appellation guidelines to allow white wines into AP Gigondas. A working group of growers and négociants has been pursuing the amendment for 11 years. The amendment states that white Gigondas must contain a minimum 70% Clairette. Other permitted varieties include Bourboulenc, Clairette Rose, Grenache Gris, Grenache Blan ...
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 ...
Most Côtes-du-Rhônes are juicily drinkable on release, but certain Rhône appellations produce wines that go on developing for decades. ‘We are lucky,’ says Vincent Avril of Clos des Papes in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, ‘we can make wines that can age – so I think we should.’ Young wines offer vibrancy, brightness and refreshment, but only in maturity do they reach their full aromatic complexity and textural harmony. Scroll down to see Matt’s top 10 mature Rhône wines for drinking this Christmas { ...
