Tag Archives: Red Rhone Blend

Rhône-ish Boy

Posted on by
1

“This hardy red is perfect for everyday drinking.”

Click image to enlarge.

I’m always in the market for a good, inexpensive red Rhône or Rhône-style red wine. I first fell in love with these critters back in the late ‘80s, when the legendary Tim McCarthy of Cost Plus Wines in Detroit’s Eastern Market put a bottle of the Chateau Chapelle Saint-Pierre Côtes-du-Rhône in my hands. It cost all of $6, and it was a beauty, with no rough edges whatsoever. We went through cases of the stuff, until it finally dried up, but by then, I knew what was what, and Grenache-Syrah (et al) based wines would become my standard for decades to come.

Of course, what was inexpensive back in the day cost rather less than it does now. Currently, if I can find a satisfying red for $12-13, I’m going to jump on it. This wine is a good case in point. I’ve seen it around for a while now, but I avoided buying it initially because of the “cute” cicada troubadour on the label, not wanting to succumb to the “Yellow Tail syndrome,” as I like to call it. However, I finally gave a bottle a closer look, and when I noticed that it is imported by my friends at A.H.D. Vintners, that was all I needed to know. A.H.D. maintains one of the finest portfolios in the Detroit market, and I have confidence in the quality of just about everything they sell.

The entry level wine from Chateauneuf du Pape producer Chante Cigale, this is a blend of Grenache and Carignane. The “Vin de France” designation means that grapes can be sourced from anywhere in the country, but they most likely come from the Rhône Valley or the adjacent Languedoc region.
Continue reading →

A Bargain Esprit

Posted on by
Reply

“…this fine young wine is still mostly about promise,
but the promise is very good indeed.”

Time Sensitive: This is a great buy for $25, but it won’t last long. There were a couple of cases available in the bins at our friendly neighborhood Madison Heights Costco just two days ago. Today, there is half that or less. It may be gone by this weekend, so, quick like a bunny, get some if you can.

Click image to enlarge.

We don’t see nearly as much Tablas Creek in our neck of the woods as we used to. In fact, the bottle reviewed here is the only one I have been able to find around here in at least a year. I had to pull two bottles from our cellar the last time I wanted something from this producer, and I was reminded yet again why TC has been on our short list of favorite California wineries for almost two decades.

This particular bottling has been hanging around our friendly local Costco since at least last fall. We even ponied up the $49.99 to try one sometime around Thanksgiving, when we found it to be good, but in need of more time in the cellar. A few days ago, I noticed that it is now priced at $24.99 at the same Costco, a pretty obvious indication that the wine has not been selling, and that the distributor wants to discount it and move it quickly. At that price, I felt obliged to pick up another bottle and give it further consideration.
Continue reading →