So I was having this discussion with a friend the other night…
What is your favorite Cotes du Rhone and Gigondas wines…in terms of the following parameters:
a) relative value
b) approachability now
c) cellaring potential (+5 years)
Here are mine, just to get the conversation going:
Tom Z.
How do you want to balance b) and c), which, in many cases, are mutually exclusive?
Coudoulet de Beaucastel and Cayron
About the same price both age-worthy
And vintage matters. For example, I used to like Domaine Brusset - Dom Brusset - Haut Montmirail. Then I tried the 2007. WTF? Then I tried the 2009. WTF?
I have 1998 and 2000 and those are STILL good. The above 2? They’re not good now and I don’t think they ever will be.
However, there is a real champ wine that’s outrageously good and under $10. I think it’s the best under $10 wine on the market, with the exception of the Vignerons de Saumur. It’s Chapelle-St-Arnoux Cotes du Ventoux. Don’t know if that fits the parameters of the thread tho. It’s a wine to buy by the case. Moreover, you can keep it. I still have the 2004s and they’re great.
Ch. Saint Cosme
Been drinking the full range of CDRs and Gigondas cuvees for quite some time. Consider me a big fan.
Coudoulet de Beaucastel
Éric Texier Côtes du Rhône Saint-Julien-en-Saint-Alban Vieille Serine Domaine de Pergaud
Domaine de Ferrand Côtes du Rhône Cuvée Antique Vieilles Vignes
Domaine Charvin Côtes du Rhône (Le Poutet)
had the Coudoulet from 1994 recently and it was just gorgeous…it’s as close to a buy-every-vintage wine that I know of.
Rayas Fontalette CdR Syrah.
This would be my list of CdRs as well except that I’ve only had that Texier once and that’s not enough for me to put it on a list, much as I liked it.
For Gigondas, I’d say Gour de Chaulé and Raspail-Ay.
And I’ll add some Vacqueyras: Domaine la Garrigue, and Monardiere. Sang des Cailloux and Chateau des Tours are also among the best, but they’ve gotten sort of pricey.
Coudoulet de Beaucastel and Santa Duc Haut Garrigues
Chateau des Tours Cotes du Rhone and Vaqueyras
St. Cosme, of course
+1
On a recent trip there I was impressed by Domaine Des Bosquets Gigondas…unabashedly modern in style, if this works for you.
These plus the St Cosme CDR and Charvin Le Poutet.
Domaine de Ferrand Côtes du Rhône Cuvée Antique Vieilles Vignes
Domaine Charvin Côtes du Rhône (Le Poutet)
Good call
I also like Marcoux’s and Mordoree’s Lirac (different styles but both quite good to me)
Used to love Brusset Tradition and on the more expensive side the Hauts Montmirail and like Greg T, I am still enjoying the 98 and 00 quite a bit- but I haven’t tasted recently since the 07 where I liked the tradition much more than the top cuvee.
yup. I love the Charvin CdR.
Some of my other top CdRs (according to your formula) are
Domaine Alary Cairanne La Font d’Estévenas
pretty much every CdR from Domaine les Aphillanthes (Le Cros, Cuvée des Galets, Cairanne L’Ancestrale du Puits)
As you may know, the Texier is 100% syrah, unlike the rest, which are mainly grenache, I believe.
I’ve never tried this, and actually have never seen it before, but I’m a big fan of their Chateauneufs. I’ll have to give it a shot. Cheers.
I see a lot of love here for the St. Cosme CDR. I am curious if anyone has had the 2010 recently. I bought 6 mags a while ago, I think from Garagiste. Being somewhat familiar with the producer but never having tried the CDR, I expected good things at a reasonable price point. A month or so ago I opened 1 mag and it was pretty bad but didn’t seem to be flawed with TCA, just not a good wine. Last week I opened another and it may be the worst wine I have drunk in 5 years. The VA was like nothing I ever experienced. I tried another glass on day 2 and it was brutal, another on day 3…from bad to worse…What am I missing here? Is it in a weird phase? Does it need more time in bottle? Did I get a bad lot #? Is it brett?
Again, no noticeable TCA, proper storage on my end, no obvious heat damage(leaking corks, faded fruit, etc)
I just don’t get it