Recommendation: A nice dry Cotes du Rhone that’s an excellent value.
Winery/Producer: Jean-Felix and Frederic Souret; Domaine de Chateaumar; Orange, France.
Grape Variety: 100% Grenache.
Geographic Region, Appellation: Cotes -du Rhone, Cuvee Bastien, France.
Vintage: 2013
Price: $13.50 with a 10% mixed case discount.
Purchased From: The Caviste Wine Shop; Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Paired With: Grilled chicken, oven fried potatoes, peas and Caesar style salad.
Tasting:
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He said: Opened 30-minutes before drinking. Opaque, dark garnet color with a dark red rim. Very, very light plum aroma. Somewhat dry, medium-light body, soft initial mouth-feel; cherry and dark fruit taste; than from mid-palate on the acidity and firm tannins take center stage and just keep growing through the long spicy finish. If I was blind tasting this wine I would NEVER say it was 100% Grenache (as shown on the label), it tasted much more like Syrah. However, it was good with the grilled chicken, but even better drinking alone after the dinner. A disappointing bouquet, but if you get through that it has good flavors and a nice finish. A nice dry Cotes du Rhone that’s an excellent value.
She said: Dark garnet red, opaque, lots of thin well spaced, steadily moving legs. Very mild fruit aroma that was followed by a blast of mouth-feel at mid-palate. The flavors were subtle and fruity, and ended when the well mannered tannins kicked in late in the swallow. The tannins provided a long finish. I knew before I first sipped this wine that it was a Grenache, so expected a great aroma and was disappointed with the lack of fragrance and full bodied flavors. It was much better sipping than with the food because I could better appreciate the light flavors and body. As the wine mellowed in the glass more flavor and smoothness developed so open at least an hour ahead of drinking. At $13.50 it is a bargain wine and I would buy it again, especially for sipping.
Alcohol: 13.9%
UPC Code: 8 57488 00513
Imported by: Lefgroup; Asheville, North Carolina.
Photo from Domaine de Chateaumar.