14 Apr A great French blend…that’s not a blend! 2020 Saint Cosme Côtes du Rhône
Côtes du Rhône red, the consistently-reliable value wine from France,
is almost always a blend of several grapes
that thrive in the foothills of the Rhône river.
Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Carignane and Cinsault
usually team up, in varying ratios, to form
what is generically referred to as “Côtes du Rhône”.
“Almost” and “usually” are the operative terms here.
Every once in a while, there’s an exception to the CDR rule.
It’s Wine Thursday!, our weekly take on a good bottle
that sells at an approachable price and is easy to source…
at retail, online or both.
We’ve enjoyed many versions and variations of Côtes du Rhône
and have never experienced a CDR that’s 100% anything…
until now.
The winery
Château de Saint Cosme winery has an historic lineage,
impressive portfolio and, of course, a most iconic label.
That’s a drawing of the Saint Cosme’s Chapel.
You’ll see it on Château de Saint Cosme’s world-renowned
Gigondas, Côte-Rôtie, Crozes-Hermitage and Châteauneuf du Pape.
The Château has been making wine for close to five centuries.
The wine
Saint Cosme’s 2020 Côtes du Rhône is an outlier.
Not a traditional CDR blend…not a blend at all…it’s 100% Syrah.
As such, it is dense, strong and solidly built, as expected,
but it does deliver a surprise or two.
One, it does not have the spicy, peppery flavors
nor the strong tannins one might expect
from a pure Syrah play.
The tannins are soft, the weight is medium and
the flavors are pleasantly subdued.
It’s a great introduction to the fine wines of the Rhône valley.
This CDR would pair particularly well
with beef, lamb or sausages.
Where to find it
The Saint Cosme CDR is on the shelf at QFC for $10.99
The list price at Total Wine is $12.97.
The price at Fred Meyer is $13.98.
Scanning the internet, we found it at Vine Republic for $13.98
The price at Vinopolis is $14.00
https://www.vinopoliswineshop.com
B-21 has it for $14.98
or for those in California, you can pick it up in person
or order from K&L for $15.99