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2017 Côtes du Rhône
Selected by Kermit LynchIf you ever want to show someone what a red wine from the southern Rhône tastes like, this is the first bottle you should open. Each year, Kermit and Anthony travel to a cave cooperative outside of Avignon to sample two dozen tanks and craft an unfiltered blend that best represents that vintage in the southern Rhône. Packed with flavors of black olives, herbs, and blackberries, this custom bottling—which we have imported for more than three decades—is far more complex and refined than you might expect given the price. Take the tannin, to start. It is here in perfect measure, leaving you with a red that has some grip and spine, but is at the same time supremely approachable. Next, feel the generous acidity on your tongue. The versatility of this acid is, in large part, what makes this bottling such an ideal weeknight red. Open it on Tuesday, and it’s perfect with some simple pasta. Didn’t finish it in one night? Pour it again on Wednesday with a grilled chicken breast or burger. This wine is what the southern Rhône is all about.
—Tom Wolf
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2017 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 48% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 8% Carignan, 6% Cinsault, 3% Mourvèdre |
Appellation: | Côtes du Rhône |
Country: | France |
Region: | Southern Rhône |
Producer: | Selected by Kermit Lynch |
Vineyard: | 40 years average, 36 ha |
Soil: | Marl, Limestone |
Aging: | Wine is aged in cement tank before bottling |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 14% |
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About The Producer
Selected by Kermit Lynch
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Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
When buying red Burgundy, I think we should remember:
1. Big wines do not age better than light wine.
2. A so-called great vintage at the outset does not guarantee a great vintage for the duration.
3. A so-called off vintage at the outset does not mean the wines do not have a brilliant future ahead of them.
4. Red Burgundy should not taste like Guigal Côte-Rôtie, even if most wine writers wish it would.
5. Don’t follow leaders; watch yer parking meters.
Inspiring Thirst, page 174