2009 Cotes du Rhone

Up there with the ’07 in terms of quality and simply a fantastic value, the 2009 E. Guigal Côtes du Rhône, a foudre aged blend of 52% Grenache, 45% Syrah, and 3% Mourvèdre, boasts upfront, perfumed aromatics of sweet raspberry, kirsch, fresh flowers, sappy underbrush, and licorice to go with a medium to full-bodied, silky, polished, and focused palate. Drinking way past its humble price point, this straight-up delicious Côtes du Rhône will be a crowd pleaser over the coming 4-6 years, possibly longer.

(based on just over 50% syrah): Bright ruby. Spicy cherry and dark berries on the nose, with deeper olive and black tea notes adding complexity. Blackberry and bitter cherry flavors are given lift and focus by gentle acidity and pick up a floral nuance with air. Finishes with zesty spicy lift and lingering sweetness. More structured than the vast majority of 2009 Rhones, from any category.

(roughly half syrah and half grenache, with a touch of mourvedre): Vivid ruby. Complex aromas of red and dark berries, Indian spices and violet, with slow-building smokiness. Taut and focused on the palate, offering lively bitter cherry and black raspberry flavors that pick up weight with air. Juicy and nicely concentrated Cotes du Rhone with strong finishing punch and lingering spiciness.