Château Cabrières Côtes du Rhône

Slightly jammy, with very forward cherry and plum sauce notes. A dash of toast marks the finish. Drink now.

Chateau Cabrieres is notorious for producing some of the best reasonably-priced Châteauneuf-du-Papes that we carry, so naturally I was really excited to see that they produce a Côtes du Rhône under $20 as well. I tried this rich, earthy Grenache/Syrah blend while in France, and was incredibly impressed with the depth and complexity offered. Deep, hedonistic black fruit is met with organic (earth, mushroom and rare meat) flavors and just enough smoke/spice to give perfect balance. This is a steal at this price! Try it with anything off the grill, or a braised meat and vegetable dish.

The blend of this French Rhone is 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah. It has good concentration wtih flavors of ripe blackberries, plums and figs. The wine develops nicely in the glass, has a smooth texture and a long solid finish. This would be great to serve with BBQ beef, ribs or sandwiches.