Our best value in Rhone

2012 Domaine de Servans Cotes du Rhone....$12.99
 With so many over ripe and over extracted Grenache-based wines on the market, Domaine de Servans’ Côtes du Rhône is a great example of what a handcrafted wine, made primarily from Grenache, should be. Red fruit and garrigue notes dominate the nose. In the mouth, red cherry and black pepper flavors mix with hints of blackberry and cassis flavors from the Syrah. The combination of fruit, spice, and soft tannins make this a great everyday Côtes du Rhône. This is a perfect wine for a casual meal of burgers, barbeque, or pizza.

The Wine Spectator report on 2012 Rhone:

Promising grapes: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Roussane, Viognier
Analysis: While most of France's major wine regions struggled in 2012, the Rhône stands apart. Vintners are positive after a growing season and harvest marked by dry, sunny weather and well-timed rains. “By end of August some spots were starting to show water deprivation. But a little rain at the beginning of September allowed the ripening process to conclude its course and harvest started at a normal, or maybe a tad late date,” said Michel Gassier, whose Château de Nages in Côstières de Nîmes produces a range of excellent value red and whites. Rhône vignerons have grown accustomed to a pattern of late harvests that stretch into October with good weather, allowing grapes to ripen fully even in tricky weather conditions.