Winophilia

Great bargains from the southern Rhone

It’s no secret that prices for most of the better wines from France’s southern Rhône Valley have become uncomfortably high in recent years, especially those of Châteauneuf du Pape. Even Gigondas and Vacqueyras, which have long offered refuge for bargain-hunting fans of these grenache-based wines, are steadily creeping up in price. It’s difficult these days to find high-quality wines for under $20 from any of the big-name Rhône appellations, and it’s increasingly hard to even find them for under $25, which puts them outside the financial comfort zone of most wine drinkers.

Fortunately, the region has enjoyed an almost unbroken string of excellent vintages for the last decade, and the same conditions that nurtured those $100 Châteauneufs benefited grapes grown throughout the region. Savvy wine lovers have long known that in the best vintages one can shop with relative abandon and confidence up and down the price range. The top vineyards, the ones that command the highest prices, are valued for their capacity to produce superior wine in difficult as well as beneficent vintages so their wines are the ones to look for from cold, rainy or hot years.

The good news is that in 2010 and 2009, virtually every Rhône Valley vineyard could achieve maximum potential, so both years present a fantastic buying opportunity for cash-strapped consumers. In general, 2010 produced wines that are fresher and more red-fruity than those from the warmer 2009 vintage. That said, 2009 was still an outstanding year, and the best wines from this vintage offer abundant dark fruit character, power and heft. I must also add that the overall winemaking standard in the southern Rhône has risen dramatically in recent years, which further increases wine consumers’ odds for buying successfully.

When I made my annual tour of the Rhône in November I was highly impressed by the number of excellent, value-priced wines from “little” appellations; many stacked up well against wines from the fancy neighborhoods—or were, in fact, even better. Many of these wines will be featured shortly in the International Wine Cellar; here I list a few of my favorite bargains.

The extended Perrin family owns one of the most celebrated properties in Châteauneuf du Pape, Château de Beaucastel, and their Famille Perrin (Vineyard Brands) négociant brand offers a wide range of wines that are among the best buys from the region. Look for the 2010 Réserve Côtes du Rhône ($12), a rich but lively wine that offers deep cherry and blackberry character and a touch of smokiness. Perrin’s 2010 Nature Côtes du Rhône ($15), which is made entirely from organically grown grapes, shows a bit more energy if a little less power, with floral-accented dark fruit flavors and appealing spiciness. The Perrins also own the La Vieille Ferme brand, whose jammy, assertively dark-fruited and spicy 2009 Ventoux ($8) is a remarkable value that’s available seemingly everywhere, often for as low as $6 (!).

Tardieu-Laurent (Wilson Daniels) is a top-quality, highly regarded producer known for its luxury priced wines from the northern and southern Rhône, but their entry-level bottlings get a lot of attention as well. The 2010 Les Becs Fins Côtes du Rhône-Villages ($20) shows strong dark berry and spice character and a seamless texture, with very good finishing punch. For a bit more money, the 2010 Guy Louis Côtes du Rhône ($26) offers more red fruit and floral character and a bit more finesse, but with equal depth of flavor.

Although based in the northern Rhône and best known for wines from there, Maison Chapoutier (Terlato Wines International) is making a number of impressive, value-priced wines from the south, like the 2009 Côtes du Rhône Belleruche ($12), a ripe, plush, dark berry-dominated wine that shows the richness of the vintage to very good effect. For sheer value and straightforward appeal, it’s hard to beat Chapoutier’s 2009 La Ciboise Luberon ($12), which offers intense, slightly jammy red and dark berry qualities that make it ridiculously easy to drink.

Leave a Reply

Name (required)

Mail (will not be published) (required)

Website

CAPTCHA Code *

Photo