2018 Terre Forte Côtes du Rhône

$21

Region: Avignon-Nîmes < Côtes du Rhône AOP < France      

Grapes:Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah

Vineyard/Cellar Stats: Organic viticulture (Ecocert certified) and Biodynamic certified (Demeter) Ecocert, Agriculture biologique; galet stone covered clay-limestone soils; destemmed, fermented and aged in cement vats; bottled unfined/unfiltered with <20ppm So2; vegan; 12% ABV

Winemaker: Nadine Auray-Jauffret & Pierre Jauffret

 LADY IN CHARGE: Nadine Auray-Jauffret, who runs the Terre Forte estate in the Southern Rhonewith her husband Pierre, started making the wines herself in 2016.

We’re loving this light and fruity take on Cotes du Rhône, far from the bold (and often heavy wine) we find in this hot, sunny region. It smells a bit wild and foresty, like pine resin, blackberry, and pepper, with more forest floor in the mouth, along with tart plums, sour cherry and smoke. Very atypical for a Côtes du Rhône, this wine has mystery and depth without weirdness.  Serve slightly chilled, with anything grilled.  Also killer as a late-night sipper, ideally in front of a roaring fire.