Côtes du Rhône is One of the Best Everyday Wines You Can Buy
French wine may have a reputation for being on the expensive side of things, but that’s not the case at all. There are plenty of amazing values to be found in France, and among the greatest of them is Côtes du Rhône. Both reds and whites excel here, though it’s red Cotes du Rhone that tends to command the most attention. No wonder: The sheer value and expressiveness to be found there are hard to beat anywhere in the world.
What is Cotes du Rhone?
Cotes du Rhone wine—more officially spelled Côtes du Rhône—is a wine produced in the Rhône Valley of France. Reds are generally a blend dominated by Syrah and Grenache, with other grape varieties often added to the mix, and whites are blended from Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, and Viognier. Cotes du Rhone rosé is also increasingly popular.
Where is Cotes du Rhone located?
Cotes du Rhone is located in the Rhône Valley of France, mainly in the Southern Rhône. Wines labeled as Cotes du Rhone Villages are produced from grapes that are grown only in specifically permitted villages whose land is particularly well suited to crafting wines of elevated character and quality.
What grape is Cotes du Rhone made from?
Cotes du Rhone red wines are primarily a blend of Syrah and Grenache, with Mourvedre being a common grape variety in the blend as well. But there are 21 different grape varieties that may be part of the Cotes du Rhone blend…a serious number!
What does Cotes du Rhone taste like?
Cotes du Rhone red wines tends to have generous cherry and berry fruit notes, as well as distinct spice and dried Mediterranean herb characteristics, too. Cotes du Rhone whites are often described as slightly “waxy” in texture, with stone fruit, spice, and a sense of nuttiness lending bass notes to each sip. Both reds and whites are wonderfully food friendly!
Are Cotes du Rhone wines dry or sweet?
Though there are certainly sweet wines produced throughout the Rhone Valley, Cotes du Rhone reds and whites are dry wines.
Is Cotes du Rhone full bodied?
The Rhone Valley is towards the southern part of France, and it can get quite warm during the growing season. This means that it’s not uncommon for the grapes themselves to reach excellent ripeness, and therefore result in wines that have a certain sense of weight on the palate. Cotes du Rhone wines, however, don’t tend to be terribly full bodied in the same sense that, say, Napa Cabernets are full bodied. Rather, Cotes du Rhone wines are often rich and textural when sipped but not heavy. It’s a fantastic balance that they strike!
What cheese goes with Cotes du Rhone?
Comté and Cantal are excellent with Cotes du Rhone, as are hard, well-aged cheddars, nutty Goudas, and even hard salty cheeses from Italy, like Parmesan and Asiago, and sheep’s milk cheeses, too. Cotes du Rhone is also excellent alongside a wide range of charcuterie, especially given the often meaty character to the Syrah grown in the Rhone Valley.
Is Cotes du Rhone a Burgundy?
No, Cotes du Rhone, an appellation within the Rhone Valley, is not a Burgundy. The Rhone Valley is located south of Burgundy, and whereas Burgundy red wines are Pinot Noir, Cotes du Rhone red wines are based on Syrah, Grenache, and many other grape varieties.
Is Cotes du Rhone Northern or Southern Rhone?
Cotes du Rhone wines are actually permitted to be grown in both the Northern and Southern Rhone, but the vast majority of Cotes du Rhone wines are crafted from grapes grown in the Southern Rhone.
Does Cotes du Rhone need to breathe?
Virtually all red wines benefit from a bit of air, but in terms of whether it’s necessary for Cotes du Rhone to breathe for a particularly extended amount of time, the answer is no. Other wines from the Southern Rhone, like Châteauneuf-du-Pape, require extended breathing much more than Cotes du Rhone. But again, it doesn’t hurt!
How do you pronounce Cotes du Rhone?
Cotes du Rhone is pronounced coat doo roan.
What are popular producers of Cotes du Rhone?
There are many popular producers of Cotes du Rhone, including Chapoutier, Beaucastel, Jaboulet, Ogier, Guy Moussett, H to H / “Homage to Heritage,” and Pierre Henri Morel (PH Morel).
Browse our full selection of Cotes du Rhone online for a great new Cotes du Rhone to try this week!
Want to learn more about Cotes du Rhone?
Visit our Guide to Cotes du Rhone to learn more about Cotes du Rhone.
