Charles Thomas Cotes Du Rhone Rouge 2019

Charles Thomas Cotes du Rhone Blanc 70% Grenache Blanc, 15% Roussanne, 10% Marsanne, 5% Viognier

H Bright yellow in color. The nose has a nice aromatic expression with white peach, apricot, candied lemon and lime notes. The palate is tasty and has a great generosity, a nice sweep on the attack and a crispy and acidulous finish.

Traditional vinification. The grapes are pressed upon their arrival in the winery. Low temperature fermentation in thermo-regulated stainless steel. Each grape variety is vinified separately and then assembled before ageing.  

Excellent wine for an aperitif. It pairs perfectly with grilled fish, platters of seafood and shellfish. It also goes well with simple dishes: pizzas, salads, tabbouleh or steamed vegetables. Cheeses: Goat cheese, Blue cheese and hard cheese such Comté.

Charles Thomas Cotes du Rhone Rose is made from 50% Syrah, 50% Grenache.

Tasting Notes:

Very charming pale rose color. The wine displays lots of fresh fruit aromas such as strawberry and watermelon. The palate is focused and very well balanced with again some strawberry and ripe red fruit notes. The finish is quite pleasing and long with a little spiciness and freshness to it.

 Review:

"Khaki orange color. Aromas of ripe plum, fresh wild strawberries, and rose hip with a supple, crisp, dry-yet-fruity full body and a smooth, delightful, medium-length shale and dried herbs finish with no oak flavor. A rock solid Côtes-du-Rhone Rosé that hits every note."

- Beverage Testing Institute (March 2021), 91 pts - Gold Medal

Charles Thomas Chateauneuf du Pape Rouge 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre, 10% Cinsault.

The wine is produced from vineyards located in the town of Orange. The soil is made of rolled pebbles and sand.
Charles Thomas Chateauneuf-du-Pape rouge displays a very deep garnet red color. On the nose it reveals a bouquet of small red berries and hints of spices. The palate is round, full and rich.

Right after harvest, the grapes are destemmed and sorted at the winery. Then, the grapes are gently crushed and goes into fermentation tanks for 15 days in controlled temperature tanks. It is then pressed slightly and matured for a few months in order to preserve the richness of the aromas.

Charles Thomas Châteauneuf-du-Pape is sourced from different grape growers in the AOC. The idea is to have a wine made with grapes coming from all the different soils type found in Châteauneuf. As a matter of fact, soil and subsoil can be very different. 
To generalize, one can say there is limestone soil in the (rocky) western part of Châteauneuf-du-Pape; sand and clay soil covered with large stones on the plateaus; mixed sand, red and grey clay, and limestone in the northern part of the appellation; less stony soil alternating with marl in the east; and shallow sand and clay soil on a well-drained layer of gravel in the south. The large pebbles contribute to the quality of the vines and grapes by storing heat during the day and holding water. Our Charles Thomas Châteauneuf-du-Pape is using grapes coming from all these soil types in order to offer a broader approach to what this AOC is all about.

Game, duck, guinea fwl, pigeon, osso bucco, eggplant quiche and flavorful cheeses.

Alain Jaume Cotes Du Rhone Rouge Haut de Brun is made from 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 10% Cinsault

The colour is purple-tinged garnet.The aromatic range of the nose goes from fresh berries (wild raspberry, blackcurrant, blackberry) to spices.The palate is big and full-flavoured, with silky-smooth tannins and aromas of the fruit already mentioned. The finish introduces touches of liquorice and pepper. A Côtes du Rhône with great complexity for an every day drinking.

A classic Rhône to drink between 1 and 4 years. Best poured at 17°C.

Traditional wine making and ageing is performed in vats only. Bottling after 10-12 months.

Ideal throughout the meal, but particularly with poultry and other white meats, as well as mild cheeses.

Anne Delaroche Cotes du Rhone Rouge is made from 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre
Clear ruby wine with overtones of red berry fruits. Round and supple with smooth aftertaste. A good all round red wine for meat courses, poultry and light cheeses. Best drunk now while fresh with good keeping up to 4 years.

Serve at 14°C (57°F).
Currently in organic conversion (they should be certified within the next  years).

Bernardins Beaumes de Venise Rouge Cru Cotes du Rhone is made from 65% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre and 5% Grenache Blanc.

Bright ruby color with cherry tinges. Complex black fruit aromas on the nose enhanced by spicy notes. Rounded palate with good length.

The wine is drinking well right now and can be kept for another 10 years.

Situation
Spreads out over the south-east side of the Dentelles de Montmirail hills, in Beaumes de Venise in the southern part of the Rhone valley.

Terroir
 On a poor sandy, hungry and arid soil consisting of tender limestone and gritty zones of sandy mollasse.

In the vineyard
The vineyards and their terroir are the essence of our wines. This is where everything starts and where we focus our efforts throughout the year. You can’t make great wine without great grapes.

The viticulture is essentially done by hand. Five people work full-time in the vineyards. They are supplemented by seasonal employees who work during bunch thinning and the harvest in order to bring out the very best in our vines. Working by hand and the attention each vine gets are fundamental. Pruning, de-budding, trellising, leaf removal and picking are thus carried out by hand with the utmost care.

We prepare the soil by using good old-fashioned ploughing. Organic compost is made from grape marc (the discarded stalks and skins).

As a way of protecting the plants, we only use phytosanitary products when necessary and within strict guidelines by staggering the treatments appropriately, to minimise the amount of chemicals used. We prefer to use as much as possible manual and organic techniques . Leaving natural grass cover, removing buds and leaves from the vines, preserving biodiversity around the vineyard: olive, almond and cypress trees, wild rosemary and capers.

Winemaking
We make two red wines at the estate. Terroir wines shaped by the two classic Côtes du Rhône varieties: Grenache and Syrah. We don’t follow any winemaking recipe but are constantly searching for the perfect expression of terroir and each vintage’s particular characteristics. We don’t go for overripe grapes and over-extraction, as we think the wine has to stay refreshing and balanced.

Leaving the wine for 15 days in concrete vats, we try to gently extract the tannins and anthocyanins essential for the wine’s structure and colour. The wine doesn’t come into any contact with wood during ageing. This way the characteristics of our terroir can fully express

Serve with a meal especially red meat, game and cheese.

Review:

"Immediately interesting on the nose, the herbs and flowers come first, thyme and lavender, then the raspberry fruit. Medium-bodied, good sense of freshness and definition to the fruit and structure, with good acidity and crispness of flavor. Fresh, savory, delicious. Great value. 60% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 6% Marsanne, 5% Mourvèdre, 4% Grenache Blanc, no destemming. Drinking Window 2021 - 2028 - Matt WALLS"  - Decanter (October 5th 2020), 93 pts