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.
Establishing a vineyard isn’t something you just rush into these days. Identifying the right site, carrying out soil analysis, selecting suitable rootstocks and varieties, procuring equipment… We’ve made a lot of progress in the past 80 years. But perhaps we overthink such things. Some estates, such as Domaine Font de Courtedune, have grown organically, with major decisions often being made for practical, rather than stylistic, reasons. And the results, from Côtes-du-Rhône to Châteauneuf-du-Pape ...
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 ...
