| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Rhône > Côtes du Rhône |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
A blend of four varieties, 30% each of Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre, with 10% Cinsault, the 2023 Côtes Du Rhône Coudoulet De Beaucastel should easily be an outstanding wine, and readers could do far worse than to have a case of this in the cellar. Black raspberries, ripe cherries, flowery incense, and pepper all define the aromatics, and it's medium-bodied, has a supple, elegant, mouthfeel, and terrific purity.
There are few wines from such venerable estates that that deliver more bang for your buck. This year's Coudoulet is as joyous as ever, with sweet berry fruit bursting out of the glass with such a juicy pruity. This is an incredibly appetising wine, with strawberry and red cherry lining the palate over seamless, soft tannins. There is just a hint of rosemary and white pepper, but this is all about that silky fruit. The acidity this year is bright and fresh, giving a lipsmacking, moreish salinity to the finish, which is long and led by more of that red fruit. A wine you could drink tonight, or over the coming 5-8 years.
