Southern Rhône Valley 

The southern Rhône valley is Grenache country. It’s also known for its stones (pictured above). With a viticulture history dating back well before the Popes arrived in the 12th century and one of France’s oldest appellations d'origine contrôlée, Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe, the southern Rhône is unquestionably one of France’s best known and premier winegrowing regions. The wines have the pedigree and age-worthiness of Burgundy and Bordeaux, but with a rustic, Mediterranean character. Like most wines from southern France, the reds, whites, and rosés are blends. Filling out the Grenache for the reds and rosés, you’ll often find Syrah, Carignan, Mourvèdre, and Cinsault. The common white grape varieties are Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Viognier, Roussane, and Marsanne among others. From the alluvial riverbed stones found in Lirac, Tavel, and Châteauneuf to the limestone cliffs of the Dentelles de Montmirail that influence Beaumes-de-Venise (where you’ll find excellent Muscat), Vacqueyras, and Gigondas, great terroir abounds.

Virgile Costieres de Nimes 2023 $15 - The 2023 Château Virgile Costières de Nîmes Rouge is a red wine from the Costières de Nîmes AOC in the southern Rhône Valley, a region known for producing robust and flavorful wines. The nose is intense with black fruit aromas complimented with hints of garrigue spice. In the mouth the wine is dominated by dense black cherry flavors from the Syrah. The Syrah is complemented by hints of black pepper and red cherry notes from the Grenache.

Domaine de Fenouillet 2021 Vin de Pays de Vaucluse Rouge $15 - Grown by the Soard family in Beaumes-de-Venise, the 2021 Vin de Pays de Vaucluse Rouge blends 70% Marselan (a rare hybrid) with 30% Merlot. Ripe strawberry and plum lead the aroma, joined by forest floor (“sous-bois”) and a hint of Mediterranean herb.

Domaine Chantepierre 2024 Côtes du Rhône Rouge $16 - A classic blend of 60% Grenache, 25% Syrah and 15% Mourvedre, this one is fermented entirely in stainless steel to preserve purity and freshness. Upon pouring, the wine shows a nice deep color and the nose is rich and decadent with notes of kirsch, cassis, plum, spice and rosemary. 

Pesquie Terrasses Rouge Ventoux 2022 $21 - The Terrasses Rouge is a blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah made to express the supple fruit qualities of Ventoux. Deep ruby color with intense aromas of bright red berry fruits, pepper spice and dried herbs. On the palate, the wine displays lovely freshness with velvety round tannins and an added floral note. 

La Réméjeanne Côtes du Rhône Un Air 2023 $23 - Certified organic. 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah. All the fruit for Olivier Klein’s killer-value entry-level Côtes du Rhône grows on the estate’s highland, sandy limestone vineyards set around the hamlet of Sabran. Olivier aims for a vin de soif with this wine—juicy, floating fruit and sweetly floral perfumes. 

Bonus Wines 

Côtes du Rhône Blanc Chèvrefeuilles 2023 $27 - Certified organic. Chèvrefeuilles (pronounced ‘shev-ruh-foy’) is French for honeysuckle, the perfume of which you cannot escape during springtime in the Southern Rhône. Olivier is a sucker for the character and freshness of old-vine Clairette, which now accounts for half the blend in his delightful citrus- and white-plum-scented Les Chèvrefeuilles Blanc, with the remainder made up of 25% Roussanne and 25% Grenache Blanc. 

Roger Sabon Lirac 2020 $29 - 70% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, 10% Carignan. Medium brick-red in colour. A lovely perfumed nose with red and black berry fruit with floral notes. Medium bodied with silky tannins that are, in part, derived from the sandy soils of Lirac. Lovely elegant fruit taste with a touch of spice and pepper for balance and a long finish.

Saint Siffrein Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2021 $54 - Grenache noir 55%, Mourvèdre 20%, Syrah 20%, Cinsault 5%. .Distinctly spicy berry fruits. Savoury but generous, deep and complex already. The acidity is deep set, well balanced, tannins quite dry and serious, grippy. A fairly powerful wine for the vintage that will take a few years to show its best. Likely to offer good value. Partly destemmed, fermented in concrete, aged in foudres and stainless steel.