Sometimes it’s tough to cozy up to French wine. The best wines in the world come from France, Oui? But who can pay hundred’s of dollars for a famed Bordeaux or Chateauneuf du Pape? Certainly the French don’t shell it out on these icons on a regular basis, and since they do their fair share of wine consumption, there must be some good value wines to be found in the French aisle… but parsing through the selection to find something that’s not too “old world”, and not poorly done for the mass market, can be daunting.
White Cotes du Rhone wines are where to look. Typically well crafted and value-driven, wines from this region are blended from several different grapes, giving them a unique and varied flavor. In E. Guigal’s 2016 CDR, Viognier takes the lead. The Viognier grape is very floral and some find it overwhelming, but here it is tempered by the other grapes. Furthermore, as it is aged in stainless steel tanks and not oak, it is clean and round, opposed to cloying. There is still plenty of floral notes in the nose and on the palate – peach, almond, honeysuckle, and tropical fruit to name a few, and they are delightful and elegant. This is a great food pairing wine that you can enjoy from the start of the evening to the finish.
Pleasant companion for: French cheese, cured meats, shellfish, fresh vegetables and salads, roasted vegetables, risottos, pasta and pizza, Mediterranean fare, poultry and light meat, stews and soups.
Try with our Gruyere Cheese Puffs (aka Gougeres).
750ml – $17.99 @ Utah DABC Stores
Producer……..E. Guigal
Vintage………..2016
Region…………Cotes du Rhone, France
Grapes…………60% Viognier, 15% Roussanne, 8% Marsanne, 8% Clairette, 2% Bourboulenc, 2% Grenache Blanc
ABV…………….13.5%
Type……………White
