My first CDP

I have avoided French wines for a long time. I tried a few and they were awful and I live in California so there is plenty of good wine here. But recently I have been wanting to explore Spain, Italy and France. A while back I started with Faury St. Joseph Syrah and it was quite good. I needed to pick up a bottle for going out to dinner and wasn’t going to be able to access my collection at home so I stopped at a nearby wine shop that I think of as reliable. The first bottle I picked was a Janasse Cote Du Rhone for $18.95. I asked the nice lady working there what she knew about it. She said she had not tried it yet but that Janasse was more modern in style. So eventually she led me to 2012 Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Vieux Lazaret at $25.95. Just looking at the bottle and label was appealing.
When we got to the restaurant (Lebanese) we popped the bottle. The aroma was very faint and not a good start. But when I tasted it, wow. Lots of grenache goodness, very smooth and nice licorice on the finish. I really love grenache and this was some of the best I have had in while. Between myself and my wife we finished the bottle but saved a small taste for the next day.So now I wonder, do I keep drinking this or consider some other CDPs? It would be nice to have more smell to whiff.
I notice these wines can get really pricey and I would like to stay in the $30 range but could stretch for something really special.

As someone who tends to stick to California, I would advise you to check out your local wine shop for some advise. You are heading into the deep end of the pool. Since you got a good recommendation from that shop, I would go back and ask for maybe a mixed half case in the style you like with maybe a wild card thrown in.

go to Hart Davis Hart, flag the Rhone’s, sort by price and go hunting. You’ll be able to pick up wines with age.

Additionally and I’m likely not alone here, but CDP can be broken down into stylistic producers. your commentary regarding French wine (yucky) and a predilection towards California coupled with a price point has me reaching several stereotype conclusions. Before I do that, post what you like in California and we can give you further guidance.

This is a good read: All About Chateauneuf du Pape Guide Best Wine Character Style History

A $30 cap for CNDP is a bitch. I don’t like it myself, but I know you’ll have trouble finding out what it’s “all about” at that price point. Heck, even your CA Rhone Rangers are tough at that level.

I’d think about investigating really good Cote du Rhone from great producers. There are some excellent examples out there, and you can learn more about what style you like before spending for the bigger guns.

There area some producers whose Cotes du Rhones are basically baby CNDPs - Gramemnon, Charvin, Clos du Caillou etc. They’re usually in the $20 zone but offer good typicity and ageability.

With a $30 cap there should probably be some 2012’s CNDP that will be available. And if you’re in CA, shipping should be easy, and there are also lots of great vendors you can pick up from, after ordering online. K&L has a handful of them under $30 at the moment.

I did look at K&L and saw they do have a big selection. I was recently at the Hollywood store and may be going back sometime soon.
I guess I can look them up on CT to see which ones I might like. As far as my taste in California wine I tend to like wines that are more old world in style. I think California wines tend to show more fruit, I think its the reality of the market here. I also think I enjoy different styles of wine so I don’t limit myself to just old or new world. I will probably grab another bottle of the Lazaret to get another taste.

Well, one could do better in Gigondas. The Saint Damien old vine Gigondas cuvées are solid, critics seems to score them well, and they range about $30. They are a bit rich for my palate, but if the OP likes the Janasse, and Grenache, he may love these. I buy them for my family.

The Faury syrahs are fantastic for my palate. About as good as $30 gets. I’d drink them all day long before any Southern Rhones, but that’s just me.

Oh, if you are willing to jump to $35, a very popular Gigondas choice is Chateau Saint Cosme.

Saint Cosme Les Deux Albions is a super value. This is basically a Gigondas wine, but labeled as CdR as it does not fit the regulatory marks. Concrete and used wood vats, and not modern to my taste. Can be quite rustic and tannic in its youth, but for around $18-20+ it’s excellent. A 2011 we opened recently was great. For an inexpensive CdR they can go through awkward stages. Drink on release or hold for a while.

J.L. Chave Mon Couer is a negociant CdR and also a great value around $24ish. Lots of density, very muscular. A surprising amount of polish and you would think it was modern until it hits you with a pure note of brined olives and tarragon.

2011 Pegau and some pre arrival 2013 is awfully close to $30. (2013 may be around $38-40). The 2011 is another great value. Very feminine, but nice intensity and texture. Very CdP but not blowsy at all.

I’d also check out some Crozes Hermitage too if you’re in that price range and liked the Faury.

Great reco, Taylor. Forgot about the Les Deux Albion. My recollection is that it has a healthy cut of Syrah, like 50%.

Languedoc

CdP is difficult to navigate if you’re not going to spend more than $30/btl. Hell, I could same the same thing at $40 (although a few nice exceptions come into play between $30 and $40). Really, I feel like you have to be willing to play around in the $40 - $80 range to get a really good sense of what the appellation has to offer.

GREAT CALL!!
And Vacqueyras
and Ventoux
Charvin Cotes du Rhone

For CDP in the 30 dollar range I suggest Pierre Usseglio “traditional”, Roger Sabon Les Olivets and Chante-Cigale. They show the southern Rhone fruit in spades but also other more interesting flavors that are seldom found in a California GSM.

At sub $30, try the Coudoulet de Beaucastel, it’s a good entrance to this region. Even with some bottle age, they are still fair in price.

Kind regards, Soren.

I do not like modern style Southern Rhones so I would avoid, for instance, Saint Combes. And $30 is hard. In the $35-40 range for CdP, you could look for Bois de Boursan or Eddie Feraud. If you lived near the NY area, I’d tell you to look for Mourre de Tendre. Their CdR VV is also a great wine, capable of aging almost like a CdP, and usually under $20. I heartily second nominations of Charvin’s CdR, another CdR that rewards aging, though you can happily drink it fresh off the boat. For Gigondas, I’d recommend, as I have before, Raspail Ay an Gour de Chaulé, both of which should still be 30 or under. In Vacqueyras, there is Sang de Cailloux, Domaine de la Garrigue and Monardiere. And there are good Cairannes too.

I’d give that Janasse CdR a try, too. It should appeal to a CA-oriented palate.

Just had a Faury St. Joseph last night. Very nice wine although that is Syrah.

CdP has many styles but also grapes. I agree with above to experiment. Most have Grenache but some Syrah or Mouvedre in large amounts. Then some are fruit forward, some stinky (although less and less) and some more red vs. purple fruit. There are a fair number of CdP’s in your price range although typically not the ones discussed here or getting a lot of “points”. The only way you will know is to taste.

That said, I know you want recs, so the basic Usseglio wines I think are still in that ball park. There are two producer Pierre and Raymond. both are good. Le Clos de Cailou and Berther-Raine are nice. Chante Cigale and Caboche are a couple of others.

Good luck and please post your thoughts.

If you do get a stinky Rhone, please start a separate thread on “who should be blamed”.

Those are always some of the most joyful witch hunts on WB.

Although I have no idea if and where it is available, the classic BOIS DE BOURSAN is an excellent example of a traditional CDP. The 2011 and 2013 are very successful in these smaller vintages, and 2010 and 2012 are really fine.