Adventures in Wine > Rhone

Rhone

Rhone

This hot region bordering the River Rhone in South-east France is split into two areas. Several appellations in the Northern Rhone make predominantly red wines from the Syrah grape. The best known include the great wines from Hermitage and the Cote Rotie along with St. Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage and Cornas.

The more diverse South makes mostly red, but also white, rose and fortified wines from various varieties particularly Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre. Chateauneuf-du-Pape is the best known Appellation, but other good quality regions include Cotes du Rhone and Cote du Rhone Villages.

The Rhone has received growing critical attention in recent years. It has produced more 100 point wines (rated by the wine critic Robert Parker) than any other region in the world. (Financial Times)

Domaine Autard

Winery: Domaine Autard
Region: Rhone
Sub-region: Châteauneuf du Pape

Châteauneuf-du-Pape ‘Cuvee Juline’ 6/750
Côtes-du-Rhone
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cote Ronde

Jean-Paul Autard carries on the tradition established by Paul Autard when he founded the domaine in the village of Courthezon in the 1970s. Autard has 26 hectares of vines, of which 12 are in Chateauneuf du Pape and 14 in Cotes du Rhone (located at the border of the Chateauneuf appellation in Courthezon.) The aging cellar is a massive, vaulted cave cut into sandstone rock, housing the domaine’s barriques. The Autard’s feel privileged to have inherited a domaine in which the plantations of different cepages are perfectly adapted to the soil types — ranging from gallets roulets, pebble and clay, and sandy-clay — in their various parcels. They aim to get the most out of each variety by vinifying separately and then blending judiciously. Autard wines have attained international acclaim for their high quality wines and were selected for inclusion by Eric Mancio, sommelier at Restaurant Guy Savoy in Paris, in his book on the finest domaines of the Rhone valley

Domaine Courbis

Winery: Domaine Courbis
Region: Rhone
Sub-region: St. Joseph, Cornas

St. Joseph Rouge
Cornas Champelrose
Cornas Eygats
Cornas Sabarotte
St. Joseph Rouge Les Royes

The origins of the Courbis family estate date back to the 16th century. Maurice Courbis, once mayor of their hometown Chateaubourg, has been succeeded at the winery by his sons Dominique and Laurent. Heralded by the press, Courbis consistently produces some of the finest bottlings in the region. A must try.

Domaine de la Guicharde

Winery: Domaine de la Guicharde
Region: Rhone
Sub-region: Côtes du Rhône

Côtes du Rhône

Guicharde wines are medium-bodied and exhibit intense fruit, juice, and spice. The Côtes du Rhône is a blend of 80% Grenache, and 20% Syrah. Robert Parker writes that Guicharde has “burst on the scene with deliciously fruity, ripe, round and generous Côtes du Rhône”.

Domaine des Martinelles

Crozes Hermitage

Impeccibly made Croze Hermitage. The estate is an important stopover for the migrating “Swift” bird.




Domaine du Cayron

Winery: Domaine du Cayron
Region: France
Sub-region: Gigondas

Gigondas

Considered by many to be the benchmark producer in the appellation, Cayron produces a Gigondas (cepage = roughly 70% Grenache; 15% each Syrah and Mourvedre) of phenomenal richness and incredible longevity. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more terroir-expressive wine anywhere in the Southern Rhone; bold, explosive, stunningly evocative garrigues flavors careen from the glass, blaring their stamp of origin like a neon sign. These are old-styled, powerful wines of enormous fruit amplitude and irresistible personality. Furthermore, Cayron is among the most age-worthy of Gigondas, delicious upon release, but improving for well over a decade and holding strong for a long time thereafter. This 15-hectare domaine, run by the Faraud family, is a classic and truly top-flight estate. *

Domaine Le Couroulu

Winery: Domaine Le Couroulu
Region: Rhone
Sub-region: Vacqueyras

Vacqueyras

55% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre, 5% Cinsault

“A big Rhône however very round on the pallet with notes of cherry & spices.”

Parker rates the estate as an excellent producer, citing it among his *Best European Wine Values*. The estate is named for the Curlew bird, which is known in Provencal dialect as Couroulu.

An excellent match for grilled ribs, roasts and stews of lamb, beef and game.

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