A CÔTES DU RHÔNE TASTING

This month Cam is hosting the #winophiles exploration of Côtes du Rhône wines. It is a very open theme with the choice of any Côtes du Rhône wine of our liking. Côtes du Rhône AOC is  the second largest appellation in France and includes rosé, sparkling, red, white, dessert, and even orange skin-contact wines. With such a vast region to play in, and a large number of grape varietals allowed, we've got a great variety of wines and some food pairings in the line-up this month. Check out the wines, tastings, pairings, musings... below. And then come join us on Twitter on Saturday, 19 September at 8 AM PST under #winophiles to chat to everyone about their thoughts on the AOC, the wines, and their wine picks!

• A Côtes du Rhône from Franck Balthazar and A Deconstructed Pairing by Crushed Grape Chronicles

• A Côtes du Rhône Tasting by Keep the Peas

• All the Colors of Côtes du Rhône with Famille Perrin by Somm's Table

• A Trio of Côtes du Rhône Pairings by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

• A Window Into Chateau-Neuf-Du-Pape Through Maison M. Chapoutier by Avvinare

• Back on the Rhône Again by Christy Majors

• Beef Tongue Stew with a Côtes du Rhône Gigondas by A Day in the Life on the Farm

• Côtes du Rhône and Clearwater Camping: Charcuterie in God’s Country by Our Good Life

• Côtes du Rhône: Essential French Wines by L’Occassion

• Lamb Meatballs Paired with Côtes du Rhône by Always Ravenous

• Leaning Savory with a 2016 Alain Jaume Côtes du Rhône by My Full Wine Glass

• Rhone Roam #3: Crozes-Hermitage Is Syrah, Condrieu Equals Viognier Paired with Fall Fish by Wine Predator

• Rhône Wine with Brisket by Cooking Chat

• Turkey Does the Côtes du Rhône by The Quirky Cork

• What the Heck is Côtes du Rhône Villages? by Wining with Mel

CÔTES DU RHÔNE AOC

Côtes du Rhône wines come in three quality levels: Côtes du Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages, and Côtes du Rhône Villages (named village). Although the named village wines are highest quality of the three levels, no matter which Côtes du Rhône you pick, the wines are versatile, wallet-friendly, and a foodie's dream since they are very food-friendly. I wanted to compare three reds - one Côtes du Rhône and two named village wines, paired with herb-crusted lamb chops and roasted potatoes. 

THE WINERIES + THE WINES + THE FOOD

DOMAINE MALMONT 

All good things, it seems, begin in the shadow of impending doom. Domaine de Cabasse was a highly regarded producer making wines from the Rhône villages of Sablet, Gigondas and Séguret. In 2012 the family decided to sell their property - the family with the exception of one family member who couldn't bear to see it go. Nicolas Haeni scraped together money, but managed enough to afford only the Séguret vineyard which he purchased and made the focus of his new project, "Malmont".

Nicolas Haeni is a young winemaker who made the first Malmont wines in 2013. The winery is set on steep rocky soil making all aspects of vineyards management including winemaking a challenge and a labour of love. The winery follows the principles of organic and bio-dynamic farming with a special focus on balanced soil nutrition. No synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, and herbicides are used in the vineyard, and since 2018 Domaine Malmont is officially in conversion to organic agriculture.

According to the winery: "Our winemaking aims at translating in the most accurate way the great fruit we harvest in the terroir of Malmont. Hence our interventions are reduced to a strict minimum. We use wild yeast to ferment and very little sulfites. No other additives than sulfites enter our winemaking process."

2017 Malmont Côtes du Rhône

13% ABV | SRP $13

60% Syrah, 40% Grenache

Vinification: 

Destemmed grapes are allowed a 12 day maceration followed by spontaneous fermentation then aged on fine lees in tank.

Colour: 

Ruby

Nose: 

Blackberries, pepper, faint geranium, not too complex

Palate: 

Similar to nose: ripe blackberries, very present black pepper, not too complex. A refreshing juicy acidity, somewhat jagged-edged tannins, a medium body, with a medium finish. The wine was a bit austere just out of the bottle but opened up and softened a bit as it sat in the glass. Overall it needs a rest in the bottle - I think it would be great starting in about 3 years, ~2023 or so although it is not complex enough to go very long in the bottle.

2017 Malmont Côtes du Rhône Villages Rouge Séguret

13.5% ABV | SRP $17

70% Syrah, 30% Grenache

Vinification: 

Destemmed grapes are allowed a 20 day maceration followed by spontaneous fermentation then aged on fine lees. Fermentation, maceration, and aging are done in a truncated cone-shaped French oak vat.

Colour: 

Medium Ruby

Nose: 

Black cherry, violets, black and white pepper

Palate: 

Similar to nose: Black cherry, violets, black and white pepper. Juicy acidity, plush tannins, medium+ body, long finish. This wine was superb out of the bottle and as it opened up. It can certainly be had now, and it would also be terrific in 2-3 years.

FERRATON PÈRE ET FILS

Ferraton Père et Fils Côtes du Rhône Villages Plan de Dieu

14% ABV | SRP $15
Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan

Soil: 

Limestone gravel and large pebble soil from vast alluvial terraces (Riss), 80 to 150 m above Aygues and Ouvèze rivers.

Vinification: 

Destemmed grapes are pressed and vinified in concrete vats. Vinification is traditional with daily punching down and controlled temperature. Aged in vats.

Colour: 

Medium Garnet

Nose: 

Mainly black fruit: blackberry and blackcurrant, a hint of wet earth

Palate: 

Similar to nose: mainly black fruit but also a slight bit of white pepper and a meaty savouriness on the palate. Juicy acidity, restrained velvety tannins, medium+ body, long finish. This wine was superb out of the bottle and as it opened up. Similar to the previous Séguret, this wine can also be had now or in 2+ years.

Pairing:

We paired all of the wines with herb-crusted  lamb chops and roasted fingerling potatoes. All three wines were splendid with the food. Lamb chops with classic French herbs - savory, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, and oregano - in my opinion, are just the perfect thing to pair with the nuanced red blends of the Côtes du Rhône.