Red, white and pink – the colors of Côtes du Rhône (#winophiles)

Invited to a party while the weather is still warm enough to dine outdoors and wondering what wine to bring? Simply put, you can’t go wrong with Côtes du Rhône.

No matter your budget, you can easily find an easy-drinking, crowd-pleasing Côtes du Rhône wine. If you want, you can delve into the nuances of northern vs. southern Rhône Valley, compare the vintages and drill down to a particular wine for a particular occasion.

As you may have noticed, the vast majority of Côtes du Rhône wines, 89%, are red. But the region’s hearty pink (rosé) wines, 7% of total production, and its full-bodied and luscious whites, 4%, are worth seeking out, too.

I was pleased to see this variety in a box of Côtes du Rhône samples I received for the French #Winophiles upcoming chat on Twitter Saturday 9/18 at 8 am Pacific/11 am Eastern. If you’re reading this post in time, please join us by following the hashtag.

Please note that while the wines for this post were provided, opinions are my own.

The basics

• At 86,000 acres, the Côtes du Rhône is the second-largest wine region in France and divided into northern and southern subregions.
• The northern Rhône is only 40 miles long and consists of steep, terraced vineyards. Only 4-5% of all Côtes du Rhône is produced here. The climate is continental – hot summers, cold winters and precipitation throughout the year. This is the birthplace of Syrah.
• As the Rhône River flows southward, the valley widens. The region becomes more Provençal in climate and culture, with long, warm summers and mild winters. This southern part of the Rhône Valley gets less rainfall, and the Mistral, a cold dry wind, blows down from the north. If Syrah is king of the north, Grenache reigns here in the south.
• The wines of the Rhône Valley are divided into four categories, starting at the entry-level level with the Côtes du Rhône AOC. Accounting for 67% of wines, the Côtes du Rhône appellation lets winemakers choose from 21 varieties (mostly red blends). More than 5,000 producers, cooperatives and négociants use this appellation to make great value wines.
• Going up the quality pyramid, the levels are: Côtes du Rhône Villages AOC, with lower yields and slightly higher alcohol; Côtes du Rhône (named) Villages AOC, consisting of 21 villages that are allowed to declare their names; and finally, at the top, the 17 distinctive crus – eight in the north and nine in the south.

Fun facts

• Côtes du Rhône is among the oldest vineyard regions on earth. Wines from these rocky soils were loved by Greeks, Romans and medieval popes alike.
• When Pope Clement V moved his headquarters from Rome to Avignon in 1309, the Roman Catholic popes demanded that Côtes du Rhône wines be sent to their new headquarters.
• As the reputation of these wines grew, a 1729 royal edict required each cask to be branded “C.D.R.” (Côtes du Rhône).
• Nearly $100 million worth of wine is produced in the Rhône Valley every year. England is the biggest buyer of Côtes du Rhône wines, followed by France.
• While there are 21 different wine grapes allowed in the Côtes du Rhône, the dominant red wine grape is Grenache, followed by Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault and Carignan.
• In 2020, more than 12 percent of Côtes du Rhône and Côtes du Rhône Villages wines were certified organic and/or biodynamic, with many more practicing without official certification.

Sources: Wine Cellar Insider, VinePair, Wine Folly, Wine Magazine

Red, white and pink

2017 Rotem and Mounir Saouma Inopia, Côtes du Rhône Villages Rouge
Mostly Grenache Noir with Mourvedre, Counoise, Syrah and Cinsault

Burgundy producer Lucien Le Moine expanded his holdings with this foray into the Rhône Valley in 2011. Inopia means “made from nothing” in Latin, a name that aptly describes the desolate plot of land in the southern Rhône. Soils consist of predominately poor clay with little river stones that provide humidity in this dry climate.

Whole clusters of grapes are macerated on the skins for a week followed by fermentation without any pumping or punching down for 15 days. The wine and lees (spent yeast cells) are then pressed and transferred to French oak barrels and cement eggs to age for 18 months without any racking. The wine is bottled without fining or filtering.

My tasting notes: Dark ruby in color. Rich blackberry and black cherry fruit on the nose, complemented by wood, smoke, earth, cloves and cedar shavings. Palate is intense: a burst of medium+ acidity upfront and strong tannic structure; cranberry and strawberry fruit and spice toward the end of a long finish. Decant. Alcohol: 14.5%. Suggested retail price: $34.

Suggested pairing: The spouse and I tasted this southern Rhône blend with three different meals, first with grilled bison burgers, then mushroom-braised chicken and finally, with a charcuterie board. It showed best with the salami, cheddar and Manchego cheeses in the charcuterie. I was surprised, but this wine overwhelmed these delicious French-style bison burgers from Jane at Always Ravenous. Perhaps that’s because we had just opened the bottle. Robust and slightly reductive, this red definitely needs time – at least an hour – to air.  

2017 Maison Les Alexandrins Les Terrasses de L’Eridan, Côtes du Rhône Blanc
60% Grenache Blanc, 25% Viognier, 15% Marsanne

Located in Tain l’Hermitage, in the northern Rhône Valley, Maison & Domaines Les Alexandrins combines three producers who came together in 2012: Nicolas Jaboulet, the sixth generation of a wine-growing family that has been in Tain l’Hermitage since 1834; Guillaume Sorrel, the son of Marc Sorrel of the Sorrel Estate in Hermitage; and Alexandre Caso, a specialist in the terroirs of the northern Rhône Valley.

Grapes are grown on clay and limestone soils. Wine is fermented and aged in stainless-steel vats for six months.

My tasting notes: Pale yellow in color. Lemon-lime and toasty almond aromas on the nose. The palate is round and nutty with a hint of lemon on the end of a medium+ finish. Medium acidity. Alcohol: 13%. Average Price: $16.99.

Suggested pairing: A fantastic wine for Portuguese-style baked rockfish. I added about 8 oz. of diced tomatoes with chilis to the sauce. So good – and we gobbled it up before I could snap a photo. This white blend also has the fullness and flavor profile to pair with chicken.

2019 Chamfort La Pause (Rosé), Côtes du Rhône Villages Sablet
60% Grenache, 40% Syrah

Domaine Chamfort wine estate is located at the base of a geological formation known as the Dentelles de Montmirail. This range of limestone rock is home to green oak, Aleppo pine, cedar, boxwood, olive trees and scrubland herbs. Vasco Perdigao bought this estate in 2010. The entire estate has been in conversion to organic agriculture since 2018 (ECOCERT label), the first certified vintage will be 2021.

Work done in the vineyard is primarily mechanical, to keep weeds at bay. Organic fertilizer is used, as are sulphur and copper to prevent disease. In the cellar, Vasco works with long vatting times to slowly and thoroughly extract the juice from the grape.

My tasting notes: Pale pink in color. Aromas of watermelon, nectarine and Garrigue spice, followed by a slightly tart palate, medium+ acidity. Spicy on a medium+ finish. Alcohol: 14.1%. Average Price: $19.

Suggested pairing: A meaty rosé, this wine stood up well to the mushroom-braised chicken. (I replaced the celery in this recipe with a blend of chopped mushrooms and added, you guessed it, 8 oz. of diced tomatoes with chilis.) The wine would pair just as well with fish, vegetarian and vegan dishes.

Wait… there’s more – from my fellow #winophiles below and from me, in a future post. Stay tuned!

• Jeff from Food Wine Click! thinks we should Embrace the Base of the Côtes du Rhône Pyramid.
• Cindy of Grape Experiences suggests we Sip Wine from the Côtes-du-Rhône… then Visit the Rhône Valley.
• Cathie of Side Wino Hustle says OMGigondas!
• Mel of Wining with Mel introduces us to The Wonderful World of Chapoutier in Côtes du Rhône.
• Terri of Our Good Life tells you What You Need to Know about Côtes du Rhône Wines.
• Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla is Assembling an End of Summer Cheeseboard with Domaine Chamfort Sablet La Pause Côtes du Rhône Villages 2019.
• Robin of Crushed Grapes Chronicles talks about Côtes du Rhône & Côtes du Rhône Villages – a plethora of flavors to pair with!
• David of Cooking Chat shares Grilled Sirloin Steak and Côtes du Rhône.
• Jen of Vino Travels takes us on A Journey Through the Cotes du Rhone.
• Jane of Always Ravenous shares Cote du Rhone Wines: Tasting and Pairing.
• Nicole of Somm’s Table says Bring on the Côtes du Rhône.
• Katrina of The Corkscrew Concierge explains Why You Should be Drinking White Rhône Wines.
• Linda of My Full Wine Glass introduces us to Red, White and Pink-The Colors of Côtes du Rhône Wine.
• Pinny of Chinese Food and Wine Pairings shares Côtes du Rhône and Perfect Fried Rice.
• Jill of L’Occasion is Feeling Satisfied with Côtes du Rhône.
• Susannah of Avvinare shares A Fresh Look at the Côtes du Rhône.
• Liz of What’s in That Bottle? declares Côtes du Rhône Offers Fancy, French & Affordalicious Wines.
• Gwendolyn of Wine Predator…Gwendolyn Alley considers White, Red, Rosé? Côtes du Rhône Wines Paired with Squash Soufflé, Instant Pot Cassoulet.
• Payal of Keep the Peas discusses Everyday Wines from the Côtes du Rhône.
• Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm shares A Month’s Worth of Celebrations with Côtes du Rhône.