I love Rhône varietals, but I honestly don’t drink a lot of Côtes du Rhône wines. Inspired by a recent podcast of the 3 Wine Guys devoted to grenache/garnacha, I decided to start my get-to-know-better exploration of these coveted French beauties. This wine really set a high bar, even though it’s not a Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The nose explodes with fruit and flowers straight out of the bottle. I honestly could have just smelled this baby for 20 minutes without tasting it. But I was a little rushed, so I dove right in. Multiple layers on this. Dried cherries, tobacco, spiced plums, with a gorgeous finish that lingers for at least 10-15 seconds. Light oak – just enough and not too much. Picked it up at Chevy Chase Supermarket for $18. Extremely recommended. A-

• Rating: Impressive
• Name:  Côtes du Rhône 2013
• Winery: Domaine Paul Autard
• Region: Rhone
• Country: French
• Varietals: 85% Grenache, 15% Syrah
• Price: $18
• Where to Buy: Chevy Chase Supermarket, 8531 Connecticut Ave, Chevy Chase, MD 20815