Wine List: My top 2010 Southern Rhone wines

My top 2010 Southern Rhone wines

There is amazing value to be found in the Southern Rhone, especially in the categories of Côtes du Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages and Gigondas. What's more, 2010 has turned out to be an amazing vintage in the region. I've been having a great time tasting through these wines.

My top wine, Les Garrigues from Domaine de la Janasse, may not exactly be considered a "value" to some, but it's certainly is a relative value when you consider the quality of wine found in this bottle. It's essentially a baby Chateauneuf du Pape.

The rest that follow are all amazing value wines that will thrill you with pure, focused fruit that is perfectly ripe yet never cloying. These are great wines to introduce someone to the Southern Rhone and the styles that are possible in the region.

6. Domaine de la Janasse Red Rhone Blend Côtes du Rhône Villages Terre d'Argile (2010)

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Average price: $24.⁹⁹ from 7 stores

The nose showed a vibrant mix of ripe wild berries, blueberry jam, sweet spices, licorice, hints of vanilla and mountain herbs. On the palate it was rich and full bodied yet showed excellent acidity, which kept it in check and left a juicy sensation throughout. Crushed blackberry and spice saturated the senses yet a hint of heat detracted ever so slightly. The finish was long and juicy, showing pure ripe blackberry fruit. (92 points)

Domaine de la Janesse has been improving from vintage to vintage. Their Chateauneuf du Pape is one of my favorites from the region and each wine I've tasted in the portfolio is well worth the tariff. The Terre d'Argile is a major step up from the Cotes du Rhone and with great structure that should keep in maturing through the next 5 - 8 years.

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1139841yax I thought I could buy that wine, but no. Bullshit.
92549Eric Guido I show quite a few retailors with this bottle in stock. http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/s...