In the 1920s, Baron Pierre Le Roy gave himself the task of drawing a line around Chateauneuf du Pape, codifying France’s first official Appellation d’Origine Controlee. We think he missed a spot. The vineyard that produces the Coudoulet de Beaucastel Cotes du Rhone is separated from Chateauneuf du Pape by a narrow, dusty road. It grows from the same stony soil and basks in the same warm sun. The folks at Beaucastel treat the Coudoulet the same as their other wines, and we think the result is a Cotes du Rhone that offers just about everything you find in great Chateauneuf except the price. In the 2020 edition, we find aromas of black pepper, dried strawberry and black raspberry, warm soil, underbrush, oregano, leather, a touch of dry roasted coffee beans. The palate offers raspberry and cherry with a hint of burnt orange peel. Full bodied with supremely silky texture and impressive energy, with a fresh, lightly earthy finish. This wine is the magical combination of elegance and power that defines the best of the Rhone; a wine for hearty roasts and cold nights. We suspect you can set a couple bottles aside to see what sort of savory flavors develop in the next 5 to 10 years.

Cepage: 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 20% Syrah, 20% Cinsault