Rhone (Rhône)

• Châteauneuf-du-Pape
• Cornas
• Crozes-Hermitage
• Gigondas
• Hermitage
• Lirac
• Saint Joseph

Gigondas can offer great values on a Chateauneuf styled wine for a lot less money.  This is a great example.  And coming, from a less than great vintage, this is drinking quite well at age 5.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose is tight but with air opens to show raspberries, black cherries, char and spice.  On the palate, this has a great texture.  Juicy and full bodied.  Black cherry fruit over a bed of spice, earth and char.  Light tannins.  Nice finish.  This won't get better but should be at this level for another five to ten years.  It will go well with stews or roasts.  

Combine a great value in wine with a store like Costco and the result is a a very nice wine for a very nice price.   In general, I have found the Kirkland wines to be solid values, but this one, perhaps a bit more.  Purple in color.  The nose has black cherries, some spice, slight violets and hint of minerality.  On the palate, this is medium bodied.  Juicy black cherry fruit with a bit of char.  Good balance.  Nice finish.  This drinks well on its own and will work well with casual foods.  drink over the next three to five years.  

This is a relatively newer producer in the Rhone whose wines should be on your radar.  Inky purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, white pepper, roasted herbs and a slight violet note.  On the palate, this is full bodied.  Delicious.  Black raspberry fruit over smoke and nice minerality.  Long finish.  This will go great with roasts and casserole but also Indian and more robust Thai food.  It still will continue to improve for the next five to seven years and should be good for ten to fifteen, at least, after that.  

This was a very nice bottle.  It was clean and must have been well stored all of these years.  Ruby in color.  The nose has red berries (kind of a cross between cherries and raspberries) with slight violets, roasted herbs and a bit of black pepper.  On the palate, this has some depth and a bit of complexity.  At or slightly past peak (perhaps) but drinking wonderfully.  Cherries with roasted herbs and slight forest floor.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  No hurry but it won't get better and should probably be consumed in the next five to seven years though it will last longer.  It will go with

What a killer white wine.  This was even better than the 2016 and 2013.  Deep golden in color.  The nose has smoke, lemons, floral notes and white peaches.  On the palate, this is full bodied with a zesty acidity.  There is a lemon cream quality to it not too unlike a nice Chard but also peaches with underlying minerals.  This is a big wine but with enough energy to pull it off.  It does have a bit of an acidic bite on the finish right now.  It is delicious and worked great with a pea.

This is, of course, young, but already drinking well.  2015 was such a delicious year in the northern Rhone.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has black raspberries, violets, and slight spice.  On the palate, this is ripe/slightly sweet.  Nothing close to cloying.  It should calm down with some age.  Lots of depth.  Nice full bodied texture.  Plenty of black raspberry fruit.  Nice finish.  At this point, this will need big food but should calm down.  This has ten to fifteen years and probably more.  Definitely a point or two of upside. It really is an excellent value.  

Ruby in color, purple at the core.  The nose is slightly earthy with cherries, garrique and charred wood.  On the palate, this has nice cherry fruit with layers of forest floor and damp earth.  Nice acidity.  Seems to be at peak, depending how you like your wines.  Nice finish.  This will work great with roasts.  It probably needs to be drunk in the next five years or so.  

Light green/gold in color.  The nose is floral with white peaches and a sort of pastel candied quality to it.  On the palate, this has a nice oily texture.  some peaches.  Clean.  Easy drinking.  Nice finish.  Not sure how this ages or even if it is.  Rhone whites are hard to predict and this is an entry level wine.  I preferred this to the Marsanne though both are good values.  

This was a bit of a controversial wine on release due to the hot vintage and the extracted nature of the wine.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has black cherries, spice, and slight earthiness.  On the palate, this has calmed down since release.  There are nice black cherries, but it is not hot or over ripe.  Plenty of depth.  It has settled into adulthood quite well.  Layers of fruit, earth and spice.  Nice finish.  It works well with grilled peppers or probably most grilled foods.  It won't get better and probably should be drunk in the next five to seven years, perhaps a few

Although it doesn't carry the designation, the Marsanne grapes come from Condrieu.  This is an entry level wine that provides nice value.  Light golden in color.  The nose is a bit waxy with pears and slight white peaches.  Tight.  On the palate, this has nice acidity.  Vanilla, pears and slight peach.  also a bit of dill which is somewhat distracting.  Nevertheless, it is crisp enough and tasty enough to work with lighter foods or drink on its own.  Probably should be drunk in the next few years.