What Exactly IS Côtes-du-Rhône? Quick lesson and Perrin Reserve Review

I headed to one of my favorite Atlanta wine shops the other day and I had a lovely conversation with an awesome wine consultant there. I was getting a recommendation on a new Côtes-du-Rhône and she mentioned that this category of wine was a hot seller for them. This surprised me.

"Why do you think these are such big sellers?," I asked. The consultant posited that it was because the wines tended to be light, fruity, and un-offensive. I guess that’s usually true but I still find it odd that Americans, most of whom appear to be against wines that aren't labeled with a grape type (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, etc) and who shun French wine, would easily grab something with not one, but two “ô.”

To get an answer on why Côtes-du-Rhône is so popular, I did what I always do. I brought some home to M.C. Ice so we could taste it and analyze the sitch.

Fortunately, M.C. Ice was pretty familiar with Côtes-du-Rhône. He said he felt comfortable buying it, and that the ones he’d had were usually ok. Despite his confidence, though, as we talked about it more, he finally asked, "what exactly is Côtes-du-Rhône, anyway?" Thus, confirming that, even without knowing what it is, "light, fruity, and familiar" are enough to make people cool with chugging this stuff down.

I guess that’s ok, but given that I've got you here and you may be curious, I’ll break down these wines for a sec, and give you some tips that may help you make better choices when you’re shopping. Can't hurt, right?

Here are a few facts (ok, and commentary because I can’t help myself) on Côtes-du-Rhône, or CDR as it’s abbreviated:

• The wine is a blend, not a single grape.
• There are 22 grape varieties that winemakers can use to make the blend.
• It’s mostly always Grenache as the primary grape for reds and Marsanne and Rousanne for whites.
• Oh yeah – I should probably mention that there are red (common) and white (uncommon but can be great, especially with fish) versions, but most of it’s red.
• It’s from the Southern Rhône Valley.
• If you see “Villages” attached to the name, or a village name appended, it may be better quality.
• With 22 varieties and a bunch of blending possibilities – joker’s wild on what you could wind up with in the bottle.

Number 7 is especially important…and frustrating. It means that if you care what the wine tastes like, you’re going to need to taste a few of these, keep track of which ones you love, and buy again based on that. To get started, if you know you like Syrah, seek out wines with that as the main grape or as a significant portion of the blend. If you like Grenache, try a few different CDRs to see which has the best expression of that grape.

What I wouldn’t do: try one, decide they all suck, and never have them again. By doing this, you miss the beauty of a blend – if you don’t like the way one wine gets put together, there’s always another option.

Below is a quick review of the Perrin Reserve, which we tried the other night. I’d also recommend you look back at the review for the Delas CDR, which I reviewed in a previous post, for comparison. These wines have vastly different profiles – the Delas is mostly Syrah, and Perrin Reserve is mostly Grenache. Try them both, then let me know what you think. I think they are as different as Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, but that’s just me.

The Wine: Perrin Reserve Côtes-du-Rhône
Where It's From: Rhône Valley, France
The Grapes: Grenache (60%), Syrah (20%), Mourvèdre (10%), Cinsault (10%)
Vintage: 2007
Price: $7.99

Color: A darker pigment in the center (from Syrah and Mourvèdre) but brighter, kind of ruby colors showed on the edge and the rim was a little watery (from the other grapes).

Smell: This smelled hot from the alcohol (Grenache can give off that hot smell, BTW). The wine was light and pleasant though, and there was a really great and distinct mineral component. A second sniff gave off strawberry and raspberry but it was kind of hidden behind the wet rock/mineral thing.

Taste: To me, Perrin et Fils (who also owns Chateau Beaucastel, who makes Tablas Creek wines, which I've reviewed) always does a really great job. I actively seek out their wines because I know they put care into all tiers. They are a safe bet for me.

This wine had great tart cherry, dried strawberry, pomegranate, black pepper, and mineral flavors. The acid was prominent but not overwhelming, and there were soft tannins that added dimension without killing your mouth.

Food: This wine would do well with mushroom-based sauces and roasted stuff. It needs something earthy to balance its acid and slight bitterness, but not something too heavy that will kill its fabulous fruit components. Roasted foods should do it.

Drink or Down the Sink?: Drink. Although slightly bitter and a tad hot on the palate, the overall impression of wine was well balanced. The tart fruit was lively, the wet rock was awesome and interesting, and the acidic texture was vibrant. Best of all, for a weeknight wine, this is an unbelievable value.

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A Wine For Drinking: Delas Saint-Esprit Côtes-du-Rhône

It is a great thing when you can find a red wine that is good and is for straight-up for drinking, rather than for pondering or evaluating. For me, this is usually something not too complex that goes down the chute smoothly and enjoyably. It doesn't elicit the "OMG" or the "wow," and for that, I am generally thankful. Sometimes you just want a nice glass of wine that is sound, tasty, and has a little umph, but not too much. The Delas Saint-Esprit Côtes-du-Rhône defines this to me -- it's got enough to keep me interested, but not too much so I have to crack a book on it.


The Wine: Delas Saint-Esprit Côtes-du-Rhône
The Grapes: 75% Syrah, 25% Grenache (rare for a Cotes-du-Rhone!)
Vintage: 2007
Price: $11.99
Where It's From: Southern Rhone Valley of France


Normal Description: I love a good Côtes-du-Rhône . If you're not familiar with them, they range a ton in quality and you need to give a few a try (and probably ask your wine shop person for advice) before you settle on a reliable one. When you find a good one, it's well worth it -- I promise.


The Delas Saint-Esprit was a little more complex and interesting than the stuff I usually drink. And that's because it's made mostly with Syrah, rather than Grenache. That explains the dark ruby color -- Syrah is one dark-colored grape!

The nose was pretty terrific. It was plum with just a ton of baking spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, and then there was great chocolate-mocha yumminess as a secondary hit. The thing was a cilia-singer -- alcohol was very apparent and kind of smacked me in the face. I got a bit of thyme and lavender as well, but these were less apparent so I may be making that up, although MC Ice gave me the "I see where you get that" and he's not afraid to tell me if I've gone off the deep end, so I think I may be ok.

As I've said before, I love when a wine delivers on the nose and this did. It was chocolate, caramel, plum goodness with prodigious alcohol and heat all over. Surprisingly, there was a bit of a green pepper/vegetable flavors to this wine. That is not typical of Syrah or Grenache, but I'm calling it as I tasted it. That said, it wasn't a deal breaker and the wine was awesome.

Snap or crap?: Snap. This wine is great. It's not too serious, and it won't blow your mind, but it's perfect for a weeknight and it's surely worth seeking out for the price. If you've never done a Côtes-du-Rhône, seek this out and give it a whirl. I think you'll be back to the French section to keep on exploring, if nothing else (which will do my Francophile heart good, at least!)

Addendum: We did try this with homemade pizza after I reviewed it on its own merits. Please don't do that. The acid in the tomatoes and the tannin in the wine clashed horribly and the wine tasted bitter as a result. Pairing can be so important because if I just had this wine with dinner and not before I would have mis-judged this lovely bottle.

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