Famille Perrin 2018 “Nature” Côtes du Rhône ($12.99)

This wine shows a pretty garnet color, clear and fairly dark. Good, open scents of ripe raspberries and raspberry liqueur and a subtle touch of licorice lead into a fresh, bright flavor of red and black berries and a dash of white pepper, framed by mouth-watering acidity and gentle but perceptible tannins. It’s a 14.1% alcohol blend of Grenache and Syrah made from certified organically grown grapes, aged for a year with 75% of the wine in stainless steel, the remaining 25% in oak casks. U.S. importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, Ala. (Oct. 28, 2020)

FOOD MATCH: This versatile wine will serve well with red meat or grilled or roast chicken, cheeses, or creamy pasta. It was excellent with takeout dinner from a local diner, an odd mix of a hamburger patty melt, creamy veggie macaroni and cheese, and breaded-and-fried strips of portabello mushroom.

WHEN TO DRINK: Don’t try to cellar it for the ages, but it’s a delight now and likely to remain that way for a few years.

VALUE:
I actually squeaked in a dollar below Wine-Searcher.com’s $14 average U.S. retail, but it doesn’t matter. It’s a great bargain below the middle teens, and I’d even pay a few bucks more for it if I had to.

WEB LINK
Here’s an English-language fact sheet from Famille Perrin.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Perrin “Nature” Côtes du Rhône on Wine-Searcher.com.

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TALK ABOUT CÔTES DU RHÔNE:
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