Mont Olivet Cotes du Rhone Vielles Vignes 2020
Smacking my lips on the very stuff as I sing its praises, I must admit I have a proclivity to these blends of the southern Rhone. For table talk "cotes" means slope and "Rhone" refers to one of Europe's most important rivers that springs from the Swiss alps, flows quickly into France and then works its way down to the Mediterranean Sea. Cotes du Rhone to our circle of seekers, addresses wines from the southern stretch known for blending the great Granache, Syrah, Mourvedre with the less familiar Cinsault, Carignane and Counoise -think the red varieties permitted in Chateauneuf du Pape. These exemplify the French ability to take individuals and gather them in a way that brings out the best of all so the final result harmonizes in a way that a single voice cannot achieve no matter how moving.
Food Pairings
Steaks, pasta with meat sauces, sausages the spicier the better. Barbecued ribs or chicken. Burgers and brats.